The shared goal of enhancing safety in work zones is getting a helping hand from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant recently awarded to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT).
ADOT and MCDOT will use the $970,000 Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration Grant to strategically procure and deploy next generation freeway and arterial technology to help keep both motorists and workers safe in construction and maintenance work zones. Key outcomes for using this technology include improving highway and arterial roadway efficiency, safety, mobility and reliability through more effective management of work zones.
“Safety has always been ADOT’s top priority, and new technologies are powerful tools to help us expand our efforts in work zones,” said Greg Byres, ADOT state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “This grant will help ADOT and MCDOT make work zones even safer for the public and road workers, while also giving drivers real-time information when it’s most needed.”
ADOT and MCDOT have both successfully deployed Smart Work Zone technologies during freeway and arterial roadway construction projects. The proposed technologies to be deployed with this grant are new devices and systems that have not been used in Arizona. This technology also can generate real-time data from devices in the work zone and provide it to transportation agency systems, which can then broadcast it through traveler information tools.
“MCDOT has been a leader in emerging, smart technologies for more than a decade,” said Jesse Gutierrez, MCDOT director. “These new technologies not only promise the benefit of improved work zone safety, they also can deliver real-time traffic information to keep the public apprised of potential delays and when they should seek an alternate route.”
Examples of potential smart work zone technology being deployed include:
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Intelligent cones to transmit work zone data.
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Intelligent cones to warn workers if a vehicle enters the construction area.
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Emergency light alerts to warn travelers of construction and emergency vehicles.
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Impact alert barricades.
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Smart arrow boards with real-time traffic information alerts.
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Smart rumble strips that are activated based on traffic flow to warn motorists to slow down.
ADOT and MCDOT have selected four projects where the technology will deployed starting in 2023:
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ADOT’s project to replace the Interstate 10 Gila River Bridges in Pinal County.
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ADOT’s project to rehabilitate pavement on State Route 86 in Pinal County, between mileposts 90-105.
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MCDOT’s project to improve the intersection of MC 85/91st Avenue.
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Various MCDOT maintenance projects.
