Innovation details proper, safe use of median crossovers

Every year in every district – sometimes numerous times each day  – median crossovers are used in the course of highway work as ITD plows or personnel perform routine maintenance tasks. Safely navigating this form of traffic control can be tricky.

Eric Copeland and Sarah Woolley, the safety compliance officers in D3 and D4, respectively, and HQ Bridge Inspector Jim Holland posted guiding text in ITD’s Operations Manual to cover that shortcoming.

It can be found in the "Safety" section, then subsection 53 - Guidance for Operations Using Median Crossovers on Access Controlled Divided Highways.
The addition is on pages 40-41 of the manual.

“ITD did not have any formal guidance or procedures for safely using median crossovers,” Copeland explained. “This creates a safety hazard for ITD employees and the traveling public each time a crossover was used.”  

Copeland said that in addition to including those guiding principles in the Operations Manual, supervisors hope to train all employees who may need to use the crossovers.

Jim Holland, a 31-year ITD employee from HQ Bridge, brought the shortcoming to the attention of ITD Safety Manager Randy Danner.

Published 08-02-19