ARROWS - Advanced research on road work zone safety standards in Europe
Overview
Background & policy context:
With road traffic still growing at a significant rate all over Europe, the need for maintenance and repair of road infrastructure is increasing as well. In particular, the impact of heavy vehicles combined with the sheer number of cars is contributing to the rapid deterioration of roads and related installations. The resulting need to enlarge, improve and maintain road infrastructure at ever decreasing intervals constitutes a severe safety problem for workers and users alike. An overview of the current state of practice across European countries reveals a multitude of design and signing practices for road construction sites, with diverse characteristics. Therefore harmonised safety standards are expected to be of major benefit.
Objectives:
ARROWS aimed to develop a unified range of road work zone safety measures and principles that should govern the planning, design, implementation and operation of road work zones. This is to mitigate their adverse safety effects on workers and road users.
The main objectives of ARROWS have been:
- to analyse road work zone typologies, present the whole range of work zone safety measures (current and innovative), and review existing national and international standards and practices on the topic;
- to explore the effectiveness of road work zone safety measures in terms of their ability to achieve the desired driver behaviour, towards a safer driving and working environment;
- to review the experimental methods for the evaluation of safety measures;
- to develop a unified range of road work zone safety principles and measures;
- to recommend a European framework for road work zone safety standards; and
- to produce a practical handbook for road work zone safety, as practical guidance to network managers at all levels.
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