Home

An Online Guide to Reducing Work Zone Intrusions
Using Positive Protection

Printable PDF

What is Positive Protection?

Illustration of how positive protection prevents longitudinal and lateral work zone crashes.
Positive Protection Barriers provide separation and help prevent longitudinal and lateral crashes into work zones.

Positive Protection are measures “between workers and motorized traffic” which “contain and/or redirect vehicles" and meet applicable crashworthiness criteria . 1, 2

Positive Protection may include highly mobile barrier, movable and temporary steel barrier, movable concrete barrier, traditional concrete barrier, associated cushions, and other strategies to avoid traffic accidents in work zones including full road closure. 3

Mobile and other movable barriers enable field crews to quickly create work spaces that are physically separated from moving traffic and quickly removed from the roadway once the work is completed.

Examples of Positive Protection devices

Commonly Cited Benefits

The rising number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities highlight the need for positive protection. In a 2019 survey, 67% of highway contractors reported crashes into their work zones and 89% think positive protection would improve safety on their projects. 4

Innovative highway barriers such as Mobile Barriers, Movable, & Temporary Barriers are enabling managers to accelerate highway projects, increase roadway capacity to match daily traffic patterns, physically separate moving traffic and workers, minimize workzone footprints, and increase work zone safety. Benefits vary by product and application. For example, California research found a cost benefit for highly mobile barrier of $1.9 million per year, per barrier in 2008 ($2.72 million in 2023 dollars). 14

Benefits vary by product and application. Commonly cited benefits of using Positive Protection include:

  • Safeguarding Workers Against Intrusions
  • Reducing Project Duration & Cost
  • Maximizing Roadway Capacity
  • Increasing Productivity with Onboard Tools and Supplies
  • Increasing Efficiency/Saving Time
  • Increasing Employee Retention
  • Decreasing Liability and Damages
  • Reducing Risk and Exposure to Dangers of Live Work Zone
Benefits of Positive Protection Barriers
Introductory Quote

"We have the technology and 'know how' to build our roadway system to anticipate user error. It can be designed, constructed, equipped, and operated to forgive the errant user and protect the innocent victim."


"We have the technology and 'know how' to build our roadway system to anticipate user error. It can be designed, constructed, equipped, and operated to forgive the errant user and protect the innocent victim."

.
.

Footnotes

1 Temporary Traffic Control Devices, 23 U.S.C. § 112(g).
2 Definitions, Subpart K - Temporary Traffic Control Devices, 23 C.F.R. § 630.1104.
3 Positive Protection Measures Defined, 23 U.S.C. 112(g)(4).
4 2019 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
5 2018 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
6 2017 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
7 2016 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
8 Estimated Total Crashes & Injuries Data: 2013-2015 data from NHTSA National Automotive Sampling General Estimates System (NASS/GES). NHTSA retired NASS/GES at the end of 2015. 2016-2017 data from NHTSA's replacement Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS).
9 Fatalities Data: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Encyclopedia. 2018 is the last year with available data.
10 Positive Protection Devices, Subpart K - Temporary Traffic Control Devices, 23 C.F.R. § 630.1108(a)(1-5).
11 Payment for Traffic Control, Subpart K - Temporary Traffic Control Devices, 23 C.F.R. § 630.1108(f)(2).
12 "Portable Positive Protection: A Guide for Short Duration and Short Term Work Zones", Updated by Mobile Barriers LLC, Based on Material Developed by ATSSA for the FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Program (June 2016).
13 U.S. Department of Transportation, "Guidance on Treatment of the Economic Value of a Statistical Life in U.S. Department of Transportation Analyses - 2016 Adjustment," (August 8, 2016).
14 UC Davis/AHMCT, “A Risk Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis for [Highly Mobile Barriers],” Technical Report Number UCD-ARR-08-09-30-01, (2008). Ibid, Attachment 3.
15 Mobile Barriers LLC internal crash analysis for Washington D.C. located highly mobile barrier.
16 Former Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
17 2013 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
18 2014 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.
19 2015 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Highway Workzone Safety Study.