Road traffic; application for a roadworks safety order

Construction sites that may have an impact on road traffic must be specially secured and signposted. The contractors responsible for the construction site must contact the road traffic authority in good time before work begins.

Roadworks in the road area and roadworks next to the road area that may have an impact on traffic must be specially secured. The safety measures serve to protect road users (traffic area) and workers as well as equipment and machinery at the work site (work area).

The safety measure "signage" must be ordered by the road traffic authority or, in the case of road construction work, by the road construction authority. The contractor responsible for the construction site must contact the road traffic authority (or road construction authority) in good time before the start of such work and obtain an order on how the construction site is to be cordoned off and marked, in particular with traffic signs and traffic facilities, whether and how traffic is to be restricted, directed and regulated, even in the case of partial road closures, and whether and how closed roads and detour are to be marked. Contractors are obliged to comply with these instructions from the road traffic authority (or road construction authority) and, if the operation of traffic light systems is ordered, to operate them.

• Written application with information on the location of the work site and the time frame of the work
• traffic sign plan adapted to the individual case

  Other documents that may be important in individual cases, such as diversion plans, divisional plans, permission agreements, etc., must also be submitted.

Which signage is necessary to secure a roadworks site is determined on the basis of the particular local and traffic circumstances in each individual case.

The correct exercise of discretion by the road traffic authority or road construction authority is of particular importance here. Their orders regarding the establishment and securing of roadworks by means of signage must above all be measured against the principle of proportionality. This applies to the safety measures as well as the (traffic) impact on third parties caused by the roadworks.

Among other things, the interests of residents who are particularly dependent on the use of the road must be taken into consideration. This applies in particular when commercial enterprises are affected. Work sites must therefore be planned by the contractor in such a way that their duration and spatial extent impede traffic flow as little as possible. If the road space is temporarily not required for the construction site or if the circumstances temporarily allow traffic to be eased, this must be taken into account. Where possible, work on busy roads should be carried out at times when traffic is light.

In the case of longer work sites, care must be taken to ensure that the effective length and width of the work site for traffic is kept as short as possible, depending on the progress of the work. For the design of the necessary signage and the coordination of further measures, the road traffic authorities and road construction authorities are assisted by the guidelines for the safety of roadworks under traffic law (RSA). These include, among other things, standard plans for roadworks on urban roads, rural roads and freeways.

Information can be obtained from the road traffic authorities at the district offices, independent towns and municipalities.