DOT warns of unsafe traffic-control practices by utility contractors; recommends certified flaggers and potential shutdown for unsafe operations

Aaron Crist, a traffic engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, told the Sawyer County Traffic Safety Committee that DOT staff are seeing many traffic-control setups by utility contractors and subcontractors that use worn or incorrect equipment and that the agency will intervene when setups create an imminent safety hazard.

Crist said the DOT has required submittal of traffic-control layouts for work in state rights-of-way and will review submitted plans for adequacy. He described examples of tattered or incorrect signs and cones and warned that work that does not meet standards can be shut down. Crist urged local agencies to require certified flaggers for operations that will use flagging and to budget for that work rather than accept uncertified methods that cut corners.

Crist said when a flagging operation is the appropriate traffic-control method, the DOT will recommend it; he asked local agencies to cooperate with DOT reviews and to consider certification for flaggers because hiring uncertified staff can carry larger safety and operational costs. Crist said he planned to visit a planned project in another county to review its traffic control in person.

No enforcement action was taken at the meeting, but Crist said DOT staff can order an unsafe operation stopped and asked local agencies to contact DOT staff when they need assistance reviewing traffic-control plans.