Determining the effective location of a portable changeable message sign on reducing the risk of truck-related crashes in work zones

• We model truck and passenger car speed profiles in the upstream of a work zone.
• We determine the optimal deployment location of a portable changeable message sign in a work zone.
• We recommend specifying the optimal deployment location of a portable changeable message sign in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
• Implementing the findings we will prevent truck-related crashes in work zones.

Truck-related crashes contribute to a significant percentage of vehicle crashes in the United States, which often result in injuries and fatalities. The amount of truck miles traveled has increased dramatically with the growing rate of freight movement. Regarding truck crashes in the highway work zones, many studies indicated that there was a significant increase in crash severity when a truck crash occurred in work zones. To mitigate the risk of truck crashes in work zones, a portable changeable message sign (PCMS) was frequently utilized in addition to standard temporary traffic control signs and devices required by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. To justify the use of a PCMS in work zones, there is a need to study the effective location of a PCMS deployed in a work zone by measuring the changes of truck and passenger car speed profiles. The difference of speed changes between trucks and passenger cars was considered as one of the major reasons which caused truck-related crashes in work zones. Therefore, reducing the difference of speed changes between trucks and passenger cars could potentially improve safety in work zones. The outcomes of this study will provide required knowledge for traffic engineers to effectively utilize the PCMS in work zones with the purpose of reducing truck-related crashes. In addition, the success of this study will provide a roadmap to investigate the effective deployment of other temporary traffic control devices on mitigating the risk of truck-related crashes in work zones.