Traffic Control Plan

General
The traffic control plan is defined as all documents pertinent to the proposed efficient, effective and safe travel of the public through work zones on a construction project, including the safety of construction workers and inspection personnel. Such documents include plan sheets, general notes, specifications, special specifications, special provisions and quantities. Traffic control plans are an integral part of each construction and maintenance project.
Part 6 of the TMUTCD
contains criteria for development of traffic control plans. TxDOT policy on work zones is contained in the administrative memorandum titled “Work Zone Safety and Mobility Guidelines” issued Nov. 20, 2008. This document can be obtained through the local district office from TxDOT’s internal website. Traffic control devices exposed to traffic must meet certain safety criteria to be considered “crash-worthy.” Devices in the current version of TxDOT’s
Compliant Work Zone Traffic Control Device List
meet these criteria.
Federal Requirements
  1. 23 CFR §630.1010
    – Defines a “significant project” as one that, alone or in combination with other concurrent projects nearby, is anticipated “to cause sustained work zone impacts” and sets forth the applicability of project-level procedures to manage work zone impacts.
  2. 23 CFR §630.1012
    – Provides guidance and establishes procedures to manage work zone impacts of individual projects.
  3. 23 CFR §630.1106(a)
    – Requires each state to implement a policy for the systematic consideration and management of work zone impacts on all federally funded projects.
  4. 23 CFR §630.1106(b)
    – Requires agency processes, procedures and/or guidance be based on consideration of standards and/or guidance contained in the
    MUTCD
    and the
    AASHTO Roadside Design Guide
    , as well as project characteristics and factors. The strategies and devices to be used may be determined by a project-specific engineering study or determined from agency guidelines defining strategies and approaches to be used based on project and highway characteristics and factors.
State Requirements
  1. 43 TAC §25.1
    – Establishes the TMUTCD as the standard for traffic control devices in Texas.
  2. 43 TAC §§5.59
    ,
    15.56
    ,
    26.33
    and
    27.56
    – Requires projects to be designed in accordance with TxDOT procedures, standards and guidelines. For RMA, toll and pass-through financed projects, preliminary design information must be sent to TxDOT for review and approval when the design is approximately 30 percent complete.
  3. Texas Transportation Code §544.001
    – Requires TxDOT to develop a manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic-control devices that correlates with and, to the extent possible, conforms to the system approved by AASHTO.
    1. The
      TMUTCD
      is incorporated by Texas Transportation Code §544.001 and shall be recognized as the Texas standard for all traffic control devices installed on any street, highway, or bicycle trail open to public travel.
Required Practices
In general, the LG must prepare a traffic control plan in coordination with TxDOT as described in the
LGPM Guide
.