Why Does Traffic Control Planning Start Before Construction?

All cones, signs, and flaggers used in the traffic work zone in Salem have their roots in one document that many drivers have never seen before – a traffic control plan. The traffic control planning process in Salem is the process of designing how the traffic work zone will operate prior to the placement of any barrels, and the level of planning has a direct effect on the safety and efficiency of a project.

Typically, the first step of the process is to evaluate the roadway itself. Planners take into account such elements as traffic volume, posted speed limits, width of the road, and pedestrian/cyclist use because each of those aspects affects what kind of a plan can be considered safe. The plan for a low-traffic quiet residential street will be completely different from the plan for a busy arterial street carrying several thousand cars daily, and the use of the one-size-fits-all approach results in either too complicated or not complicated enough plans.

In relation to projects on state highways, the Oregon Department of Transportation has an official traffic control plan requirement for all activities on the highway that will disrupt its regular flow of traffic. The purpose of the plan, according to the organization, is to provide safe and efficient passage of public traffic, such as vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic, through or around a work zone, as well as to create a safe work environment for those doing the work. In addition, city projects in Salem usually follow a similar approach to traffic control even without a direct mandate from the state due to similarities in safety considerations.

In addition to just determining the placement of cones and signs, traffic control planning in Salem involves the calculation of the appropriate taper lengths for each project. This refers to the gradual displacement of drivers to avoid a work zone according to the speed limit of the road.

Detours and lane closures have to have their own plan, especially when the plan affects a road that functions as the main emergency vehicle route, the school bus route, or the transit bus route. Working out issues with the appropriate agency ahead of time helps prevent situations where a problem may not become obvious until a traffic count has been done, like detours that cause heavy vehicles to go near the school at dismissal time.

Once a plan has been agreed upon and implemented, it does not usually remain entirely static. Unforeseen situations can come up in the field that may not have been considered in a plan, whether it is a utility issue, weather, or even construction itself moving faster or slower than expected. A good plan has enough flexibility built into it to deal with unforeseen circumstances.

Effective traffic control planning in Salem remains unseen most of the time when it is done effectively, which is another reason why people can easily overlook it. This is because the drivers get to enjoy a seamless flow through the work zone without realizing the planning behind the taper distance, spacing of signs, and the rerouting used to enable them to do so. In essence, the planning process, rather than the machinery used at the work zone, becomes the key to its effective functioning.

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