By Aliyah Thomas KC'S BLOG • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

What is Work Zone Traffic Control?

When construction takes place on or near roadways, it can result in traffic delays and compromised safety of construction workers, motorists, and pedestrians. As a result of roadway construction, certain measures are enacted to facilitate a safe work area for workers, maintain and protect the flow of traffic, and complete necessary work on schedule.

Work zone traffic control (WZTC) was created with these factors in mind, providing construction workers with the knowledge they need to maintain a safe work environment while ensuring an organized flow of traffic. WZTC protocols seek to mitigate the effects of construction on those directly affected by factors such as lane closures or detours.

Motorists should be alert to changing traffic patterns and possible work zones that may crop up along the road.

The typical WZTC area consists of four components:

1. The advance warning area is the point where motorists are alerted to upcoming road work, usually through the use of road signs, electronic signboards, and flags.

2. The transition area is the area motorists are guided to transition out of their normal traffic pattern to the new, temporary traffic detour. This can be done with the use of flaggers, traffic cones, and signs.

3. The activity area is where the actual road work is being conducted.

4. The termination area is the point where traffic is allowed to return to its normal pattern.

While every municipality can mandate or adopt their own WZTC policies, they must remain consistent with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), set in place as a result of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.

At KC, our field staff are well-versed in WZTC operations, and regularly apply said knowledge when providing a variety of services to our clients.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

Understanding Work Zone Traffic Control (WZTC)

When construction takes place near or on roadways, it can result in traffic delays and compromised safety of construction workers, motorists, and pedestrians. As a result of roadway construction, certain measures are enacted to facilitate a safe work area for workers, maintain and protect the flow of traffic, and complete necessary work on schedule.

Work zone traffic control (WZTC) was created with these factors in mind, providing construction workers with the knowledge they need to maintain a safe work environment while ensuring an organized flow of traffic. WZTC protocols seek to mitigate the effects of construction on those directly affected by factors such as lane closures or detours.

Motorists should be alert to changing traffic patterns and possible work zones that may crop up along the road.

The typical WZTC area consists of four components:

  1. The advance warning area is the point where motorists are alerted to upcoming road work, usually through the use of road signs, electronic signboards, and flags, etc.
  2. The transition area is the area motorists are guided to transition out of their normal traffic pattern to the new, temporary traffic detour. This can be done with the use of flaggers, traffic cones, and signs.
  3. The activity area is where the actual road work is being conducted.
  4. The termination area is the point where traffic is allowed to return to its normal pattern.

While every NYS municipality can mandate or adopt their own WZTC policies, they must remain consistent with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), set in place as a result of the New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law.

At KC, our field staff are well-versed in WZTC operations and regularly apply said knowledge when providing a variety of services to our clients.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

Infrastructure Week, Day 5: Roads

In the U.S., roads are an unavoidable part of our everyday lives. We use roadways daily to travel to and from work, school, social engagements, and more. So how do we deal with the issue of America’s crumbling roadway infrastructure?

As the years go by, American metropolitan areas are stymied by traffic congestion.

The average American spends 97 hours a year stuck in traffic. That’s 12+ vacations days! Meanwhile, suburban and more rural areas are forced to contend with deteriorating road conditions, as well as outdated and dangerous traffic configurations.

At KC Engineering and Land Surveying, P.C. (KC), maintaining and upgrading our roads remains an important priority. Our civil engineers are skilled in parking lot and roadway design, and along with our traffic engineers they can effectively and efficiently plan, design, and oversee the construction of intersection improvements, parking facilities, maintenance and protection of traffic plans, highways, utility relocations, site lighting, driveways and other roadways, curbs, and sidewalks so that the outcomes not only provide for smooth transitions but also for economically functional results.

With projects like Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) Exit 8E Reconstruction, 5th Avenue Reconstruction, DeLavergne Avenue Reconstruction, and Milling and Resurfacing of Federal Aid Roads, KC strives to maintain the safety and commutability of area roads, because at KC we recognize the vital importance of roadway infrastructure.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

The Widening of the Van Wyck Expressway Project

The Van Wyck Expressway (VWE), I-678, is the major gateway into and out of JFK International Airport. It was originally constructed in the early 1950s and is unable to handle current and projected traffic volumes. Congestion and delays are extensive and exist for many hours of the day. This project will widen the VWE by adding a fourth lane (fifth lane at some locations) in both directions to reduce congestion and delays. The added lanes will be operated as Managed Use Lanes that can be dynamically managed.

In addition, operations of the various on/off ramps will be evaluated and elimination and/or relocation will be considered. This project scope included preliminary design services to widen the VWE (I-678) to add a fourth lane from the Kew Gardens Interchange to JFK Airport. The scope also included evaluation of the proposed project on 20 bridges including 4 bridges that carry the Long Island Railroad over the VWE. In addition, operations of the various on/off ramps were evaluated. The length of the project was approximately 4.3 miles.

The bridges and interchanges within the project limits were investigated to determine appropriate work to accommodate the widened VWE. The proper environmental issues were investigated and documented.

KC, as part of the design team, was responsible for the accident analysis, utility relocation, and preliminary design of five structures that are part of the VWE and Belt Parkway Interchange.

By Evan Thomas KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

Good Etiquette for Traveling Through Construction Sites

It’s an undeniable fact that construction sites obstruct the movements and activities of our daily lives—on our morning commutes to work, for example, the last thing we want to see is that bright orange sign that reads “Road Work Ahead.” Sidewalk closings, too, prove to be nothing short of inconvenient as they often force us pedestrians to haphazardly share the road with motorists. Compounding the inconvenience is the danger of proximity to an active construction site: according to Creative Safety Publishing, an organization dedicated to providing safety tips for the workplace, in 2012 a student at Ohio State University was struck by a dump truck while riding his bike past a construction site. The New York Post reported that between the years 2010 and 2015, 59 people had been struck by falling debris from New York City construction sites.

Follow these three simple steps to stay safe and become a more mindful and respectful passerby at construction sites:

  1. Respect the signs and learn what they mean.

Take an active role in your safety and understand important safety signs.

SafetySign.com identifies five important symbols that communicate three important messages to both workers and passersby: the hazard, the means of avoiding the hazard, and the consequences of not avoiding the hazard. Common symbols include:

Hazard symbols (yellow triangle with black border) warn us about potential site dangers and their consequences (think: Biohazard sign).

Prohibition symbols (red circle with red slash through middle) instruct us on what activities to avoid when near the site (think: “No Smoking” sign).

Mandatory symbols (white square or blue circle depicting an instructional action) tell us what we must do to stay safe when near a construction site (think: “Hard Hat Area” sign).

Information symbols (white square with a red image) direct us to important life-saving equipment and exits in case of an emergency (think: Fire Extinguisher sign).

Safety symbols (white square with black image, occasionally accompanied by a red circle with a slash) both shows us the proper steps to take to avoid danger and the consequences of ignoring important hazard warnings (think: “Caution: Wet Floor” sign).

  1. Avoid “rubbernecking.”

If you’ve recently driven over the Tappan Zee Bridge, you’re probably guilty of gawking at the construction of the new bridge. (And we don’t blame you, it’s shaping up to be quite a beaut!) However, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, engaging in distracted driving activities such as rubbernecking can double your risk of crashing. Sneaking a peek at the new bridge for just two seconds can increase the risk of an accident up to 24 times. While construction sites can be sources of curiosity and excitement, catching close-up views of the new bridge’s construction at 60 mph is not worth the risk of threatening your life and the lives of others.

  1. Don’t gawk: research!

Calm your curiosity safely by visiting this website that keeps you in the loop about projects in New York that are currently under construction. Excessive staring, both while driving and on foot, can cause significant disruptions around a construction site and can be dangerous to yourself, your fellow travelers, and on-site workers. If you are curious about a project, simply select its location on the site’s provided map and read up!