Target Completion Date: April 30, 2026 Safety, Operations, and Traffic Engineering
Detour routes are often set up by agencies to address both planned (e.g., major roadway maintenance) and unplanned (e.g., traffic incidents, adverse weather, and natural disaster) events. A successful detour operation depends on carefully designed detour routes, timely activation of detour, and clear communication to drivers. Sometimes, the detour operations require additional time and labor resources to set up temporary detour signs along the detour route, which could delay the activation of detour operation. To improve traffic incident response, the Staunton District of Virginia Department of Transportation planned to test the use of MUTCD-approved permanent emergency routing signs on the I-81 corridor. This study aims to estimate the potential benefit of using permanently-installed emergency routing signs in detour operations, and to explore the impact of these signs on traffic diversion during detour operations under a full closure of I-81 as well as voluntary detours during partial lane closure incidents. The results are expected to provide insights for VDOT to improve incident response and detour operation practices.
Last updated: October 17, 2024
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