Do not use TaperCheck while driving. Have a passenger check, or review photos/dashcam after the trip.

Louisville work zone safety

Check if a lane closure taper looks too short.

Pick the posted speed to see the expected merge taper in feet and lane-line cycles.

Good Good taper with cones spread out in a long gradual merge Long, gradual taper
Bad Bad taper with cones crowded into a short abrupt merge Abrupt, short taper
Flagger holding a STOP paddle

If you see a worker holding a STOP/SLOW paddle standing near the road, this is likely a flagging setup, which should use a 50 to 100 ft taper. If traffic is merging from a closed lane, continue below.

What is the speed limit where the lane is closed?

Use this for a lane closure, where traffic moves from a closed lane and into an open lane.

Expected merge taper

About 245 ft
Range 204 to 245 ft
Lane-line cycles 5 to 6 cycles

If it looks closer to only 3 cycles, it may be worth reporting.

Looks much shorter? Report it

Measure by sight

One lane-line cycle is about 40 ft.

A typical broken white lane line has a 10 ft painted line followed by a 30 ft gap. Count the line plus the following gap along the cone taper.

Driver view showing a 10 ft lane line, 30 ft gap, and 40 ft cycle
10 ft line + 30 ft gap = 40 ft cycle
Lane-line cycle quick reference
Cycles Approx. distance
2 cycles80 ft
3 cycles120 ft
5 cycles200 ft
7 cycles280 ft
10 cycles400 ft
15 cycles600 ft

What to watch for

A good taper makes the merge feel natural.

Temporary traffic control should make the next move obvious before drivers reach the cones. With enough taper length, drivers have room to see the closure, adjust speed, and merge smoothly.

Red flags from a driver's view

These signs do not prove a violation by themselves, but they can mean the setup deserves a closer safety review.

Cone-count shortcut: Cone count alone does not determine compliance, but if a faster-road taper uses only a few cones, that can be a red flag.

  • The lane closes suddenly.
  • Cones force an abrupt merge.
  • Drivers brake hard or swerve.
  • Work trucks are parked in a lane with no clear taper.
  • Workers are walking in or near the travel lane.
  • The taper is much shorter than it should be.

Louisville reporting

Report a potentially unsafe lane closure.

If a taper looks dramatically shorter than the benchmark, report what you saw so the right agency can review it.

Who should I contact?

Louisville Metro street Report to Metro311 / Louisville Public Works. Call 311 and press 3.
Call Metro311: press 3 Open Metro311 Email Metro311
State route sign State route, highway, or interstate
Report to KYTC, call the KYTC Highway Hazard Hotline, or call KYTC directly.
Call KYTC Hazard Hotline Call KYTC directly: (502) 210-5400 Email KYTC District 5 Open KYTC info
Not sure who owns the road? Start with Metro311 for Louisville streets or KYTC for state routes/highways. You do not need to identify the crew or contractor. Report the location, direction of travel, time, and what looked unsafe. Include company logos only if they are obvious.

Company logo visible? Include it in your report if you can see it. You do not need to contact the company yourself.

Copy report note

Use this in Metro311, email, or a KYTC form.

Do not stop in traffic, confront workers, or take photos while driving. Use a passenger, dashcam, or review photos/video after the trip.
A small report can prevent a big crash. You do not need to prove a violation. Clearly report what you saw so the right agency can review it.

Why it exists

TaperCheck turns standards into a quick public safety reference.

The goal is not to attack workers in the field. The goal is better accountability, training, planning, and oversight from the companies and agencies responsible for temporary traffic control.

We all drive through these. Workers deserve protection. Drivers deserve warning. TaperCheck helps the public recognize when something looks dangerously short.

TaperCheck is an educational estimate based on standard merge taper-length logic. It is not an official engineering determination.

TaperCheck is an independent public-safety education tool. It is not operated, endorsed, or affiliated with KYTC, Louisville Metro Government, Metro311, FHWA, or any utility company.

TaperCheck does not determine legal violations. It helps the public recognize temporary traffic control setups that may deserve review by the road owner, permit authority, or safety agency.

Questions about TaperCheck: aj@tapercheck.org.

Created by AJ Thomas