When completing work on a road or in an area with plenty of traffic, work zone equipment is a must. Contractors need to put the equipment up for safety reasons. Completing work on the road does create hazardous conditions that can increase the chances of car accidents happening. With that in mind, the large equipment used to direct traffic and protect workers should always get put out on the road before projects begin.
What Does It Mean When Work Zone Equipment Gets Put in Certain Spots?
When the equipment gets put in certain areas, such as on the side of a highway or on a four-way street that will temporarily turn into a two-way street due to roadwork, it means that contractors are getting ready to start a project. The type of project varies and may include one of the following things:
- Fixing a massive pothole or sinkhole
- Completing road renovations/upgrades
- Adding on to a highway
- Repairing asphalt and concrete
No matter the type of project that needs to get done, if it is happening on or around the road where motorists are coming through with their vehicles, the contractors will need to use various types of work zone equipment.
What Are Some Ways That Workers Use the Equipment to Help Motorists?
The workers will use this equipment to help motorists in several ways. The work zone equipment is all about redirecting traffic and providing warnings to drivers to slow down and be much more aware of surroundings, especially when there are multiple contractors on the road where vehicles are operated at a higher speed than usual. While there are dozens of different equipment types that contractors can put out, these are some of the primary options that get put to good use for safety purposes.
Rolling Digital Message Boards
The rolling digital message boards are one of the most popular pieces of work zone equipment used to control traffic. The contractors can quickly move them from one area to the next because of the wheels attached to the bottom of them. The digital sign is bright and bold enough to get motorists to pay attention when passing through the work zone area. Most importantly, contractors can change the digital message as often as they need to, warning drivers to slow down or let them know about road changes coming up as the motorists move forward.
Arrow Boards
When motorists need to move over to a different lane for the workers' safety, it is common for contractors to use arrow boards. They are digital like the message boards but will have bright arrows on them that point in the lane direction that the motorists will need to move into as soon as they can do so.
Portable Traffic Signal
If motorists need to stop on a road where there is usually no traffic signal due to the work that is going on, contractors can use a portable traffic signal. It has wheels attached to the bottom of them and acts as a traditional traffic signal with a red, yellow, and green light.
Work Zone Speed Limit Signs
When work is taking place, motorists need to slow down to avoid harming the contractors or anyone else on the road. For that reason, there may be multiple work zone speed limit signs installed in the area to get motorists to reduce speed safely.
Contractors should regularly use work zone equipment whenever they have work to do on the road. Whether they are taking care of work on a highway or street, putting up the right equipment will work to direct traffic, keep motorists safe, and protect those who are merely trying to get road work done.
