When a Closure Was Assumed, Not Confirmed

The Scenario

Planning for a project assumed a full lane closure would be allowed on a busy arterial. When the work reached the field, the agency's conditions actually limited the work to off-peak hours with a narrower closure than assumed.

The Compliance Issue

Assuming what a closure will allow, instead of confirming it with the agency and the approved plan, can send a project into the field with the wrong approach.

How It Surfaced

The mismatch surfaced when the field setup did not match what the agency's conditions allowed, and the closure had to be revised on site.

How It Was Resolved

The closure was rebuilt to match the approved conditions and hours, costing time that confirming the closure in planning would have saved.

How to Prevent It Upstream

The allowable closure type, limits, and hours are confirmed with the agency and reflected in the approved plan before the approach is finalized — not assumed.

Lessons

• Closure type and hours are confirmed, not assumed.
• A wrong assumption in planning becomes rework in the field.
• The approved plan and agency conditions are the source of truth.