8.10 Traffic Planning

Revised on 03-11-2025

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PURPOSE

The purpose of traffic planning is to provide adequate traffic control during the project construction phase. Adequate traffic control is applied using basic principles and standards to warn, control, protect, and expedite vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

REFERENCES

  • WATCH manual, most recent edition, published by Building News

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Project Manager (PM): The PM is responsible for obtaining an exemption from the rush hour work prohibition if an exemption is desired. To justify an exemption, the PM shall prepare answers to the questions posed in Special Order No. 001-0406. The PM’s Program Manager or Division Manager shall be responsible for approving or denying the exemption.
  • Project Engineer (PE): The PE is responsible for the selection and coordination of traffic control planning. For construction work with significant traffic impacts, the PE may elect to have traffic control plans prepared. The PE will be responsible for the preparation, review, and obtaining approval of traffic control plans from Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT).

PROCEDURE

The level of traffic control will depend on the nature and duration of project construction activity within the public right-of-way. In general, projects with limited impact on the public right-of-way will utilize traffic control requirements contained in the Work Area Traffic Control Handbook (WATCH), published by Building News. Per section 1-1 of WATCH manual, the WATCH is intended to be used for the following activities:

  • Short Duration: An activity that occupies a location up to 1 hour
  • Short Term Stationary: A daytime activity that occupies a location from 1 to 12 hours
  • Intermediate Term Stationary: An activity that occupies a location from overnight to 3 days
  • Mobile Operations: An activity that moves intermittently or continuously.

For All other activities traffic control plans will be required. Traffic control plans should be prepared during the design phase or construction phase of the project and must be reviewed and approved by LADOT.

In accordance with the Mayor’s Executive Directive No. 2, construction work is prohibited from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Special Order No. 001- 0406 instructs BOE staff to implement the peak hour prohibition and contains guidelines on how to obtain a peak hour exemption.

Holiday Season Excavation Restrictions: In order to not impede holiday season traffic, street excavations on commercially important streets is prohibited from mid-November to the end of the first week of January. A list of commercially important streets impacted by this prohibition is prepared by the Development Services and Permits Program.

Construction Work on State of California Highways: For both minor and major construction work on State of California Highways, an encroachment permit from Caltrans is generally required. The Caltrans Encroachment Permit requires traffic controls to be in conformance with Caltrans Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices guidelines.

Noise Variance: Per L.A.M.C 41.40 any construction during night hours, between 7:00 pm and 5:30 am, Police commission approval is required.

Full Street Closure: It is Bureau of Engineering’s long outstanding practice to obtain the Board of Public Works approval for a full street closure. For additional information contact Board of Public Works liaison.

Major Transit and Transportation Construction Traffic Management Committee (TCTMC): The purpose of TCTMC is to minimize the loss of traffic capacity within various major impact areas as resulting from construction activities per L.A.M.C 62.250. For any work within the public right of way, that falls under TCTMC streets of significance, traffic lane requirements must be obtained from TCTMC. The streets of significance can be identified using Map Gallery.

RELATED PROCEDURES

  • Chapter 1 – Overview of Project Delivery

LINKS / ATTACHMENTS

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