Is a private construction worker vested with any legal authority to stop and control traffic?

A construction worker in jeans and a T-shirt steps into the street from a private construction site (not road construction) and stops traffic to allow a truck to maneuver onto the roadway. Is the construction worker vested with any legal authority to control the traffic? Is the traffic legally obliged to obey him? BTW the construction guy is not a flagman. Suppose the truck messes up repeatedly while maneuvering and the traffic becomes impatient, ignores the construction worker and carefully moves past him. Have they broken any law?

My son does the same so I can maneuver my boat onto the roadway. Is he similarly vested with any authority to control traffic? Is the traffic legally obliged to obey him or is it just a courtesy?

I understand the be nice thing. If possible, please address the legality of the issue as it applies to my partner and our construction guys when they have to naneuver big steel pieces onto and off of a construction site. Our attorney has given a wishy washy answer and I want better.

traffic laws vary by state. However I think that if the person directing traffic isn't causing a major disruption (only a short delay), then they would never be legally charged with anything.

At the same time, I don't think a driver could be charged with anything or ticketed for not obeying the person, as long as the driver doesn't do anything unsafe or reckless.

It depends. Disregarding flaggers with signs on a roadway construction project can result in a ticket.

Disregarding a guy holding out his hand out to let a truck out of a parking lot might get you in an accident where you would be at fault.

If the construction company has traffic control as part of their plans then they have a permit to control traffic. You might get a ticket.

If there is no construction permit then you have no real authority to stop traffic. If you don't know what you are doing then you might get run over.

Your question assumes that we are in the most unfriendly society ever conceived. If a construction worker needs a little room ...Give it to him. He's a working man and should not be interfered with for such a minor infraction.. if it's an infraction at all, despite your impatience. Have some decency and a little patience because I'm sure the vast majority of construction workers afford everyone courtesy and respect.

No, there is no legal right for him to do this. But it is courteous for people to wait. If they are doing a real botched job of getting where they need to go, they will usually stop and let the people they've been holding up go. But if they don't, you can honk and let them know to g.t.f. out the way....

You are probably not legally obligated, but I think you have a moral obligation to let them do their job. Do unto others.....