Night Lane Shift on I-70 With an Arrow Board
It is 10:30 p.m. on I-70 near Salina, Kansas. You are eastbound in the right lane at 70 mph. A work zone begins with orange 'LEFT LANE CLOSED AHEAD' signs, a flashing arrow board directing traffic to the right, and temporary rumble strips across the left lane. The original white dashed lane lines have been ground off and replaced with temporary raised pavement markers; some old markings are still faintly visible. A flagger is not present, but a shadow vehicle with a flashing arrow is parked on the left shoulder. Ahead, a pilot car with a 'FOLLOW ME' sign is waiting. Traffic is moderate, and a tractor-trailer is 200 feet ahead in the right lane. Your headlights show the wet pavement.
1. Which lane should you be in as you approach the arrow board, and what do the temporary pavement markers indicate?
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The arrow board directs traffic to the right because the left lane is closed. You should move into the right lane before the taper, not wait until the last moment or straddle the line. The temporary raised pavement markers are the active lane control in the work zone; the faint old white dashes are not to be followed. If the temporary markers place your lane slightly right of the original alignment, follow them. Keep the tractor-trailer ahead at a safe distance and avoid passing in a work zone unless a device or flagger clearly permits it.
2. What do the shadow vehicle and the 'FOLLOW ME' pilot car require of you?
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The shadow vehicle is a warning device with a flashing arrow; it protects the work area, not your vehicle. Slow down, increase following distance, and do not pass it. The pilot car means you follow it through the work zone at the pace it sets, often in a single line. Do not overtake the pilot car, even if it seems slow, because it is controlling traffic through a narrow or shifted path. Passing it could put you into a closed lane, a drop-off, or opposing traffic. Be prepared to stop and wait if the pilot car is staging traffic.
3. If the arrow board and the temporary pavement markers seem to conflict, how do you resolve it?
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Treat the closed lane as closed and follow the path that keeps you out of it. The arrow board is an active warning of the lane closure, while the temporary markers show the path through the work zone. If they appear to conflict, slow down and use the most restrictive indication; look for a flagger or pilot car whose direction overrides the signs. Never follow faint old markings into a closed lane. If you are still unsure, stop before the taper and reorient rather than guessing at speed.