The Work Zone Safety Task Force was established in 1993 by executive order as the work zone policy making group for WSDOT. The task force meets quarterly and is chaired by Chris Christopher, State Maintenance Engineer and Linea Laird, State Construction Engineer. Membership is made up from several state agencies and industry representation including, WSDOT, FHWA, WSP, Roadway Contractors and others. The Traffic Control Oversight Committee, Safety Products Team and the Technical Subcommittee report to the task force and are responsible for various work zone related training and technical standards development and oversight.

Each quarter the task force agenda contains many different work zone items that may include training, standards, new products, innovative practices, legislation and more.

Work Zone Safety Task Force Team Goals:

1. Decrease the need and use of work zones through the design effort.
2. Reduce the traffic/worker interface through positive separation.
3. Maintain traffic flow through work zones.
4. Review products and practices to encourage state of the art best practices.
5. Continue to learn from active work zones through successes and near misses.
6. Bring to resolution work zone issues of statewide interest.
7. Communicate and educate both WSDOT staff and industry on work zone safety.

The task force is constantly involved in examining current work zone trends and issues and has been a driving force in improving work zone safety in Washington. The following list shows a few of the items that the task force, along with various work zone safety partners, has been responsible for pursuing and implementing.

• High visibility clothing standards
• Driver and public information efforts
• Double traffic fines in work zone legislation
• Work zone drivers education program
• Work zone training courses
• Work zone standards
• Work zone review standards
• Give'em a Brake program
• Work Zone Traffic Control Guidelines book
• Fluorescent orange sign sheeting

The task force may be contacted through any of the members or Frank Newboles, WSDOT State Workzone Safety & Mobility Manager at newbolf@wsdot.wa.gov.

• Work Zone Safety Products Team is chaired by Marty Weed and is a part of the WSDOT New Products Committee.  The Work Zone Safety Products team evaluates work zone related safety products for possible use in Washington.  The team includes members Frank Newboles, Steve Haapala and other region contacts as appropriate for evaluation purposes. 
  
• Work Zone Technical Subcommittee is chaired by Frank Newboles and is the technical team associated to the main Work Zone Safety Task Force that is tasked with the duties to discuss, evaluate, process and report to the main committee those issues that are raised at the task force committee meetings. Team members representing each of the regions are:
  
• Bonnie Nau - NW Region Traffic & UCO
• Cecil Rench - NW Region Maintenance
• Sue Tellesbo - NW Region Safety Office
• Les Miller - SCR Trainer
• Ty Hillebrand - SWR Area Engineers Office
• Mike Andreini - NCR Project Engineer Office
• Brett Johnson - Eastern Region Plans Office
• Dewayne Matlock - Olympic Region Traffic Office
• Marty Weed - State Work Zone Engineer
• Steve Haapala - State Work Zone Training Specialist
• Roger Steinert - WSDOT Consultant

Work Zone Safety Task Force and Technical Team Meeting Minutes:

2004
June 2004 (.pdf, 24kb)
September 2004 (.pdf, 34kb)
November 2004 (.pdf,12kb)

2005
January 2005 (.pdf, 22kb)
February 2005 (.pdf, 19kb)
April 2005 (.pdf, 38kb)
August 2005 (.pdf, 28kb)
November 2005 (.pdf, 54kb)

2006
February 2006 (.pdf, 23kb)
May 2006 (Technical Team) (.pdf, 14kb)
June 2006 (.pdf, 25kb)
September 2006 (.pdf, 23kb)
December 2006 (.pdf, 19kb)

2007
June 2007 (.pdf,30kb)
September 2007 (Technical Team) (.pdf,22kb)

2008
May 2008  (.pdf 15kb)
October 2008 (.pdf, 16kb)

Work Zone Safety Task Force - Work Plan

• October 2008 (.pdf, 15kb)

2008 Statewide Construction Project Work Zone Report