What is the term for diverting traffic from its natural path to ensure safety around a worksite?

The term that accurately describes diverting traffic from its natural path to ensure safety around a worksite is channelization. This involves the strategic arrangement and marking of roadways to guide vehicles and pedestrians along specific paths, particularly in work zones. By establishing clear paths, channelization reduces confusion and enhances safety for both workers and drivers. This method often includes the use of cones, barriers, and signage to direct traffic around hazards, thereby minimizing the risk of accidents.

Other terms, while related to traffic management, do not specifically encapsulate the concept of guiding traffic around a worksite. For instance, redirection can imply any change in traffic flow, but doesn't inherently focus on safety or work zones. Traffic calming refers to measures designed to slow down traffic and improve safety in residential areas or near schools, rather than around worksites. A detour indicates a temporary diversion of traffic to an alternate route due to a closure or obstruction, which may not necessarily involve guiding traffic for safety purposes as directly as channelization does.