4.Traffic management#

4.1Introduction#

In busy built-up areas, speeding motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and workers all interact with construction vehicles, heavy equipment, attenuator trucks and road pavers within the road construction site. In more remote areas, it is not uncommon for a road worker to be working alone, often not visible, protected only by traffic cones and speed signs.

There are numerous ways to control the risks associated with working on roads or road-related areas. Following are some examples of a number of traffic control measures that may be considered:

road closures
footpath closures
detours
signing
traffic controllers.

When considering control measures such as road or footpath closures, advice and approvals should be obtained from relevant authorities, including the local council, where the work is to be conducted, or the Queensland Police Service.

4.2Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices Part 3 (MUTCD Part 3)#

The MUTCD Part 3 provides the technical background and guidance for the placement of temporary traffic control signs and devices used at road works. The MUTCD Part 3 also provides standard diagrams for traffic guidance schemes across a range of work activities and worksites. Selection processes are provided that use tables of key site information including:

lane configuration
traffic volume
approach speed
type of work.

These selection processes are used to guide a principal contractor or relevant person to select the most appropriate traffic guidance scheme for a particular situation. However, it should be noted that the traffic guidance schemes provided in the MUTCD Part 3 may not be appropriate for every situation, and it may be necessary to design a scheme that is suitable for the individual worksite in question.

4.3Responsibilities#

There is a primary duty to provide a safe workplace environment that minimises the risk of injury to workers within, or adjacent to, the work area. Principal contractors or PCBUs responsible for construction or maintenance work, in accordance with the MUTCD Part 3, need to be aware of their responsibilities for the potential for injury to road users, or damage to property, as a result of this work.

It is the responsibility of a principal contractor or PCBUs, in accordance with the MUTCD Part 3, to ensure that:

all signs and traffic control devices for construction work or maintenance activities are erected, and
the placement of speed restriction signing and protective barriers are erected.

Steps should be taken to warn the public of adverse conditions, and to guard, delineate, and, where necessary, illuminate work, which may pose a hazard to road users. Care should also be taken to avoid, wherever possible, long delays or detours which may cause unnecessary inconvenience to road users. Principal contractors and PCBUs carrying out construction or maintenance work on roads that require the use of a traffic guidance scheme should:

be mindful of their responsibility to provide a safe workplace for personnel and plant under their control, and safe and convenient travelling conditions for road users
ensure that all personnel at a worksite are aware of their responsibilities, and that traffic controllers are appropriately trained and informed of their duties, and
be familiar with, and act in accordance with, the provisions of the MUTCD Part 3.

4.4Planning#

Careful consideration should be given to the signing of the worksite, no matter how brief the occupation of the site may be. This should include:

protection of workers
provision of adequate warning of changes in surface condition, and the presence of personnel or plant engaged in work on the road
adequate instruction of road users and their safe guidance through, around or past the worksite, and
safe access and egress to and from the worksite.

Five important basic principles, to be observed, are as follows:

(i)Signs and devices shall be appropriate to the conditions at the worksite, and shall be used in accordance with the MUTCD Part 3, unless a risk assessment by a competent person indicates that an alternative arrangement is satisfactory.
(ii)Signs and devices shall be erected and displayed before work commences at a worksite.
(iii)Signs and devices shall be regularly checked and maintained in a satisfactory condition.
(iv)Signs and devices shall be removed from a worksite as soon as practicable. However, appropriate signs should remain in place until all work (including loose stone removal and line marking following bituminous surfacing) has been completed.
(v)Records shall be kept of all work's signing and delineation at roadway or part-roadway closures.

An example of a road signing checklist is outlined in Appendix 3.

4.5Traffic plans#

A variety of standard plans/diagrams are provided for selection in the MUTCD Part 3, designed to illustrate the application of traffic control devices as they apply to various worksite situations and circumstances.

These diagrams indicate the appropriate positions of the signs and devices required to guide traffic safely around, through or past the worksite. Worksite situations should be designed according to the principles outlined in the MUTCD Part 3.

Plans should be prepared for:

Short-term and mobile work. Planning in these cases should comprise the development of procedures and the provision of appropriate sets of signs and devices to cover all of the routine tasks the workers will encounter.
Work involving relatively simple part-roadway closures. Planning in these cases should comprise a minimum requirement to sketch the protective devices and delineation required on a road construction or similar plan, and to prepare a list of devices required for the job.
Complex traffic arrangements. Planning in these cases should comprise:
plans showing temporary traffic paths, their delineation and the position of traffic control or warning devices, or on multi-stage works, a separate set of plans for each stage
details of after hours traffic arrangements, on separate plans, if required, and
all necessary instructions for the installation, operation, between-stage rearrangement and ultimate removal of devices at the conclusion of the job, planned well before the job starts, or before the start of the stage to which they apply, so that there is enough time to obtain any special devices or approvals needed.

All essential aspects of traffic plans are to be considered in the following order, and incorporated into the plan, if relevant.

4.5.1Traffic demand#

Determine the capacity required to accommodate traffic demand at an acceptable level of service and convenience to road users and to decide on the amount of road space which must remain open, and where applicable, the times of day when greater amounts of road space are needed to handle higher traffic volumes (e.g. urban peak periods).

4.5.2Traffic routing#

Select the appropriate means of routing traffic at the site, i.e. through, around or past the site, or a combination of these, and ensuring that all required traffic movements are provided for.

4.5.3Traffic control#

Determine the need for traffic control by:

traffic controller
traffic signals (portable or permanent)
police
other means.

4.5.4Other road users#

Determine the need to make provisions for road users, other than vehicular traffic, including:

pedestrians, including people with disabilities, where appropriate
bicycles
school children
local residents
emergency vehicles.

4.5.5Special vehicle requirements#

Determine the need to provide for vehicles, such as:

buses, including stops and terminals
over-dimensional vehicles (e.g. vehicles which, together with their load, are wider or longer than standard)
restricted vehicles (e.g. vehicles which, although within legal limits, are permitted to use only specified routes).

Depending on circumstances, movement of traffic may be achieved in one of the following ways:

through the work area, by intermingling with workers or plant
past the work area by means of a delineated path alongside, but clear of the work area, and
around the work area by a detour, which may be via a side track, or an existing road.