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Work Zones - Temporary Traffic Control design tools

Work Zones - Temporary Traffic Control homepage

The following are resources for the Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) designer to develop a TTC plan. 

Sample temporary traffic control (TTC) plan

The Sample TTC Plan is representative of what a completed temporary traffic control plan should include.  A typical TTC Plan includes the following sheets (when used): TTC title sheet, pay item tabulation sheet, traffic control tabulation sheet, special sign details, advanced signing, traffic control narrative, detours, pedestrian and bicycle treatments, TTC staging, TTC typicals, and TTC layouts.

Relevant Standard Plates shall be included in the Standard Plate table of the overall plan.  Relevant Standard Plans should be included with the other Standard Plans used in the overall plan.

Temporary sign design

Due to changes in crashworthy requirements, TTC plans should include temporary ground mounted sign designs that utilize square tube posts.  The Crashworthy Requirements for Temporary Traffic Control Devices Tech Memo required that the Minnesota Type “C” and “D” Braced Leg U-Channel (knee brace) sign support not be used in plans let after December 31, 2019.  The allowed use of knee brace u-channel structures for temporary signs has been extended but shall not be included in plans with letting dates after June 30, 2020. U-Channel sign supports without the knee brace may continue to be used and included in plans for limited sizes of work zone signs until December 31st, 2024. Use NCHRP 350 Compliant Sign framing and Installation (PDF) andNCHRP 350 Compliant Sign framing and Installation (DGN) in the “Temporary traffic control typical details” section of this page.

Designers are encouraged to use the Temporary Sign resources found in the Temporary Traffic Control templates to implement square tube temporary sign structures as soon as possible. The PDF files are provided as resources and/or to show examples. The Designer should use the DGN and SGN files for temporary traffic control plan development.

Temporary traffic control templates

These are sheets that should be in nearly every TTC plan, but need to be modified for the specific plan.  The PDF files are provided to show examples. BUT THIS REQUIREMENT APPLIES TO ALL SIGNAGE" in SIGNING notes.

Standard plans/plates

Standard Plates are drawings that show standard details of construction and materials.  These are referenced in the Standard Plate table that is included in most plans.  Standard Plates that apply to a specific project shall be included in the Standard Plate table.

Standard Plan sheets are included in plans and used for details that are done similarly statewide.  Modifying a Standard Plan sheet shows the contractor what is different than the standard way of implementing the information on the Standard Plan sheet.  When a standard plan sheet is modified, the designer must follow the GUIDELINES FOR STANDARD PLAN MODIFICATION (PDF). The designer should NOT create their own detail or cut/paste from the standard plan sheet for minor modifications.

Temporary traffic control typical details

TTC typical details are sheets that represent MnDOT’s Traffic Engineering Organization’s (TEO) convention for applications of temporary traffic control.  Some of these are being developed as standard plans and may be replaced with the standard plan.  Designers may make modifications to the typical details as long as the design is allowed by the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices; however, modifications to the typical detail needs to be indicated on the typical and the Designer needs to sign off on the modification.

The TTC typical details are to be placed onto the TTC blank plan sheets (see templates above) and, if modified, the modified box in the typical detail needs to be filled out with both a date and designer's initials.  If a TTC typical detail includes elements that are not used, cross out the elements not used.  Changes to the typical detail allowed by the Designer Notes do not require the modified box to be filled out.  The signature for the TTC Typical plan sheet indicates the selection of the TTC Typical Details to be used and for any modification to the typicals.  The plan sheet must be signed whether or not any modifications were made to the TTC typical details.

Long term typical applications

Long term typical applications are meant to be a guidance about MnDOT best practices for traffic control plan designers.  They have been upgraded (as approved by the Traffic Engineers Organization (TEO) Temporary Traffic Control Committee) from MN MUTCD Long Term Layouts to indicate the TEO preference for TTC to be used on the trunk highway system.  They are meant to be used as a resource for a designer to place devices and traffic control on TTC layout sheets or to develop TTC typicals.  They are not meant to be directly placed into the plan without modification.  The designer must modify the long term typical application for the specific project.  DESIGNER NOTES are included - the designer should use them to make modifications.  If used and modified, the designer is taking responsibility for the plan sheet, thus the designer will need to include a plan sheet border and sign the signature block on the page. When making modifications, the designer should review the MN MUTCD and Chapter 9 of the MnDOT Traffic Engineering Manual. 

Field manual layouts


For TTC applications that are in place for 3 days or less, the designer may opt to cite the appropriate layouts to be used from the Minnesota Temporary Traffic Control Field Manual in the plan or the project’s special provisions instead of including TTC typicals.

Specifications and special provisions