This construction season, the Missouri Department of Transportation is turning the state orange! Some MoDOT buildings and other landmarks throughout the state will turn orange from April 2-6 during National Work Zone Awareness Week and the start of another big season of highway construction.
With the successful completion of the Smooth Roads Initiative that brought 2,200 highway miles up to good condition, MoDOT is now improving 5,600 miles of roadways over the next five years. The improvements will bring 85 percent of Missouri’s major highways up to good condition by 2011.
“The Smooth Roads Initiative was such a successful program and made a noticeable difference in the look and feel of our roadways,” said Don Hillis, MoDOT director of System Management. “Although it will be a tough act to follow, we are excited about our new Better Roads, Brighter Future project. The successful completion of the project has the potential to prevent 85 injuries a year, save 10 lives a year, support more than 48,000 jobs, save $100 million a year in fuel savings and create more attractive places for businesses to locate.”
The 2007 construction season will be the first with Missouri’s new work zone law that passed in August 2006. The law means big penalties for reckless drivers - injuring or killing a highway worker could cost $10,000, as well as losing your license for a year and/or jail time. New work zone signs reflecting the penalties can be found all over the state. The new law also strengthened several other provisions. More information about the newest laws can be found at www.modot.org.
This year, Missouri will see more than 1,000 construction work zones statewide. More work zones mean more delays, frustrations and opportunities for drivers to be distracted, making work zones dangerous places, Hillis said. MoDOT is working to minimize drivers’ frustrations by making special efforts to let motorists know what’s happening on their roads through billboards, television spots and radio advertisements. A statewide construction map will be distributed and can also be found on MoDOT’s Web site at www.modot.org.
Following the tragic death of MoDOT worker Ken Hoierman, who was an advocate of work zone safety and killed in a 2006 work zone, workers are strongly encouraging motorists to Watch Out for Us. A work zone memorial page can be found on the web site to commemorate the death of MoDOT employees in work zones, www.modot.org/workzones/inmemory.htm.
“We’re constantly making our work zones safer and smarter with new technology, brighter signs and workers who are prepared for what’s ahead, so delays should be minimal and we now have the tools to alert motorists about construction zones ahead of time,” Hillis said. “However, as always, we ask that motorists be patient with us and remember to always buckle up and Drive Smart.”
According to Missouri statistics, most work zone crashes are caused by inattention, excessive speed and following too closely. Motorists are the ones most likely to be killed or injured in a work-zone crash – though far too many MoDOT employees and contractors have lost their lives.
In 2006, 20 people were killed and 1,197 injured in work zones. Since 2000, five MoDOT workers have died in work zone crashes and many more have been injured.
“In the grand scheme of things, a few minutes of inconvenience means years of smoother, safer driving,” Hillis said. “We’re doing our part to keep you moving through Missouri, but the difference is you. Drive Smart and Arrive Alive.”
For more information about construction projects and work zones statewide, visit www.modot.org or call 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).
