Evaluation of COZEEP and MAZEEP officers use in Caltrans Construction and Maintenance Work Zones. Scientific Evaluations of Operational Performance, Procedures, Impacts, and Benefits of Highway Construction Zone Enhanced Enforcement Program (COZEEP) and the Highway Maintenance Zone Enhanced Enforcement Program (MAZEEP).

摘要

Caltrans contracts with CHP (California Highway Patrol) for enhanced enforcement in construction and maintenance zones under the Construction Zone Enhanced Enforcement Program (COZEEP) and the Maintenance Zone Enhanced Enforcement Program (MAZEEP). These programs provide traffic management strategies to improve project safety using supplemental CHP units to assist in the enforcement of speed restriction and provide faster incident response through the selected work zones. There is however insufficient information available to determine the degree of drivers' adherence and their level of compliance to speed reduction requirements with the use of COZEEP and MAZEEP. Furthermore, there is no quantitative data on safety benefits, best implementation configurations, and cost benefits of the COZEEP/MAZEEP programs in highway work zones. The goal of this study is to gather data and perform analysis to address the following research questions: Does the CHP presence together with Caltrans operations in work zones help achieve the safety and mobility goals? Is COZEEP/MAZEP cost effective in terms of its impact on safety? What are some of the most effective configurations in terms of the utilization of CHP officers in implementation of COZEEP/MAZEEP? Tests were performed over 10 nights in urban areas as well as two day times in rural areas that included construction as well as maintenance operations. In COZEEP tests, a condition referred to Augmented COZEEP (ACOZEEP) was also tested involving additional CHP units and ticketing of speed violators. A total of 34 tests were performed evaluating different configurations COZEEP and MAZEEP and COZEEP versus ACOZEEP effectiveness. In addition, the tests were augmented with a comprehensive survey of those who work or are involved with highway work sites as well as evaluation of 1,868 accidents that occurred with direct interactions with work zones in California from 2008-2010. The results indicate that COZEEP, MAZEEP and ACOZEEP are effective in reducing speeds in free flowing, mid-to-long distance work zones where drivers have an uninhibited field of view. Furthermore, in longer length work zones, ACOZEEP resulted in vehicles maintain their speed reduction for a longer period of time. In addition ACOZEEP resulted in additional highway safety improvements in identifications of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) drivers. Furthermore, the results also provide data on some of the most effectiveness configurations in terms of location of Police units in the work zone and best practices as well as clear cost and safety benefits in reduction of fatalities and reduction of injury severity due to reduced traffic speeds as a result of COZEEP/MAZEEP.