Advancing Highway Work Zone Safety: A Comprehensive Review of Sensor Technologies for Intrusion and Proximity Hazards

Ayenew Yihune Demeke, Moein Younesi Heravi, Israt Sharmin Dola, Youjin Jang, Chau Le, Inbae Jeong, Zhibin Lin, Danling Wang

Published version (DOI: 10.1177/03611981241265845) Download PDF

PDF: published version. © The Author(s) 2024. Open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Summary

A systematic review, following the PRISMA protocol, of sensor technologies for preventing vehicle intrusion and worker–equipment proximity hazards in highway work zones, covering GPS, radar, laser, infrared, RFID, Bluetooth, and ultrasonic sensors. It compares them by accuracy, range, power consumption, cost, and user-friendliness, and concludes that sensor selection must fit the specific application and that effective deployment also requires integrated, cost-effective, user-friendly, and secure systems and supporting regulatory frameworks.

Abstract

Highway work zones are critical areas where accidents frequently occur, often because of the proximity of workers to heavy machinery and ongoing traffic. With technological advancements in sensor technologies and the Internet of Things, promising solutions are emerging to address these safety concerns. This paper provides a systematic review of existing studies on the application of sensor technologies in enhancing highway work zone safety, particularly in preventing intrusion and proximity hazards. Following the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) protocol, the review examines a broad spectrum of publications on various sensor technologies, including GPS (global positioning system), radar, laser, infrared, radio-frequency identification, Bluetooth, ultrasonic, and infrared sensors, detailing their application in reducing intrusion and proximity incidents. The review also assesses these technologies in relation to their accuracy, range, power consumption, cost, and user-friendliness, with a specific emphasis on their suitability for highway work zones. The findings highlighted the potential of sensor technologies to significantly enhance work zone safety. As there are a wide range of sensor technologies to choose from, the review also revealed that the selection of sensors for a particular application needs careful consideration of pertinent factors. Finally, although sensor technologies offer promising solutions for enhancing highway work zone safety, their effective implementation requires comprehensive consideration of various factors beyond their technological capabilities, including developing integrated, cost-effective, user-friendly, and secure systems, and creating regulatory frameworks to support the rapid development of these technologies.

Keywords: Sensor technology, Highway work zone, Intrusion, Proximity, Localization

How to cite

Demeke, A. Y., Younesi Heravi, M., Dola, I. S., Jang, Y., Le, C., Jeong, I., Lin, Z., & Wang, D. (2025). Advancing highway work zone safety: A comprehensive review of sensor technologies for intrusion and proximity hazards. Transportation Research Record, 2679(2), 1066–1089. https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981241265845

BibTeX

@article{demeke2025advancing,
  title   = {Advancing Highway Work Zone Safety: A Comprehensive Review of Sensor Technologies for Intrusion and Proximity Hazards},
  author  = {Demeke, Ayenew Yihune and Younesi Heravi, Moein and Dola, Israt Sharmin and Jang, Youjin and Le, Chau and Jeong, Inbae and Lin, Zhibin and Wang, Danling},
  journal = {Transportation Research Record},
  volume  = {2679},
  number  = {2},
  pages   = {1066--1089},
  year    = {2025},
  publisher = {SAGE Publications},
  doi     = {10.1177/03611981241265845}
}