Flagger Ahead: The fine art of traffic control and safety.

• Author: Marshall, Terri

According to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, the 2023 construction season promises to be robust. More than 140 transportation improvement projects are scheduled for this construction season in Alaska, including airport upgrades, bike lanes, docks, roads and highways, and sidewalks in sixty-four communities. While construction zones are necessary, they often pose hazards to workers and drivers alike. Effective traffic control, signage, and other markings can be the difference between a job safely done and someone getting hurt.

Addressing mobility and safety issues surrounding work zones begins with the project development process and continues until the project is finalized. Developing a communications plan for local businesses, residents, motorists, and the general public remains key to keeping workers and drivers safe. Road closure details, expected work zone impacts, and changing conditions during the construction project are examples of the information that needs to be communicated throughout the duration of the project.

Transportation management plans take several things into consideration, such as anticipated construction conditions, access requirements, and existing road users.

Fortunately, Alaska has several companies that are extremely capable of meeting the planning and communication needs of road work projects.

Out of the Fire

Jolt Construction & Traffic Maintenance is one of those companies, starting with its origin in the Miller's Reach wildfire near Big Lake in 1996. "We began providing traffic control for FEMA, residents, and the like to get in and out of the area as the wildfire clean-up took place," says Jolt Construction & Traffic Maintenance president Kathleen Cole. "Our business continued from there and eventually evolved into subcontracting for traffic maintenance and traffic control for periods of construction."

Jolt Construction does everything for road construction projects except building the road. As Cole explains, "We do flagging in work zones, striping the roads, hydroseeding, mulching, landscaping, cleaning culverts, and adding markers as needed on the side of the roads."

Keeping the safety of the workers and drivers as the top priority, Jolt Construction begins every job with a solid plan.

"We start each project by developing the specifics of routing vehicles and pedestrians through or around the construction zone. We determine if we need flaggers or if we're going to use an...