Eli5: How do road workers and pavers work on interstates and highways when traffic is oncoming constantly? How do they place the barrels and cones down? Do they just run an hope not to get run over? How do they plan it?

Question

Eli5: How do road workers and pavers work on interstates and highways when traffic is oncoming constantly? How do they place the barrels and cones down? Do they just run an hope not to get run over? How do they plan it?

In: 3

Answer 1

Highway work is thoroughly planned and scheduled in advance. Sometimes it is scheduled for nights and weekends when traffic flows are lower.

Durectional Signs and light boards and warnings are placed a large distance back to give motorists time to move over and merge into other lanes. Sometimes a mile or more away.

As to placing cones, sometimes [special trucks](https://youtu.be/Z7QaUunpqoA) with robot arms and conveyors are used to place the cones down, other time it is workers on a flatbed truck with a lift gate manually placing each cone/barrel/bollard down. Most crews have a crash vehicle between the workers and approaching traffic. That large heavy truck has arrow boards on it pointing traffic away from the closed lane and a large crash barrier so distracted drivers hit it instead of the worker placing the cones.

There is a system. Start from the shoulder (non travel lane) and move in the direction of traffic. Place the cones at an angle to push the cars into the next lane over. Drive the cone truck in the now closed lane and continue placing the cones thru the construction area. Picking up the cones is the process in reverse-start at the end of the zone and drive in reverse (opposite traffic) picking up the cones and reopening the lane. End on the shoulder or breakdown line.