Overview
The potential for probe data to improve work zone performance measurement is significant; but, implementation is not easy. Commercial probe data providers have focused on probe data products for normal traffic management operations and have little experience with the data needs specific to work zones. Most work zone practitioners have limited experience with probe data. Consequently, knowledge of the ability of probe data to support work zone management needs is limited.
This report aims to address these problems and provide practical guidance to work zone program managers on how to take advantage of probe data resources to support their work zone performance measure needs.The report also includes a detailed case study of a pilot project conducted by the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation Technology for Maryland State Highway Administration. This pilot project assessed the adequacy of available probe data sources to support work zone performance measures and implemented a web-based system that uses probe data to assess work zone performance measures. This project provides detailed examples of performance measures produced from probe data.
The last part of the report provides overviews of a number of other projects and activities that either used probe data for work zones or assessed characteristics of probe data that might be helpful to work zone practitioners. Appendices provide information on (a) the future of probe data and how the evolution of probe data will impact its applicability to work zone performance measures and (b) simulation results that investigate the effectiveness of Bluetooth detectors as a source of work zone traffic data.