Now is the Time for Work Zone Safety
As the spring and summer construction seasons approach, drivers are being
reminded to slow down and stay alert in work zones. The third annual National
Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) was observed April 8-12 across the country
through events that highlighted this year's theme: "Roadways Keep
America Moving. Drive Safely in Work Zones!"
The NWZAW, which is part of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA)
ongoing effort to increase driver awareness of work zone safety, followed
the release of some alarming statistics. Last October, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a report that revealed
an estimated 26-percent increase in work zone fatalities from the previous
year, from 868 in 1999 to 1,093 in 2000. Even more disturbing is that,
as Roger A. Wentz, executive director of the American Traffic Safety
Services Association (ATSSA), says, "The number is probably higher.
When accidents occur, they are usually filed as simply occurring in
roadways, not in work zones." With the prospect of an increase
in roadway reconstruction, Wentz adds that, "This data drives home
the need for training, the presence of law enforcement in work zones,
and better data collection."
"To keep America moving, repairs and improvements are needed on
our Nation's roads," said FHWA Administrator Mary E. Peters. "The
way we are going to have to deal with the problem of both mobility and
safety in work zones must go beyond our traditional approaches. We have
to begin looking at more than the work zone itself. We must go back
early in project development and examine all of our decisions so that
we reduce the exposure of travelers and workers to the hazards in work
zones. We must also examine our planning processes, use of long-lived
pavements, life-cycle costs, and the construction delivery process."
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO), FHWA, and ATSSA sponsored an NWZAW event on April 9 near the
I-95/I-495 interchange at Richie Road in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Minnesota Congressman James L. Oberstar unveiled the ATSSA National
Work Zone Memorial, which includes more than 700 names of roadway workers,
motorists, members of law enforcement, children, and pedestrians who
lost their lives as a result of work zone crashes. Family members of
the deceased assisted Congressman Oberstar in the unveiling. The event
also included speakers from the Maryland Department of Transportation
(DOT), Virginia DOT, District of Columbia Division of Transportation,
AASHTO, ATSSA, American Road and Transportation Builders Association
(ARTBA), and FHWA. The Memorial is scheduled to visit 13 other States
to help raise public awareness of the dangers roadway workers face daily.
Many States also had activities scheduled for NWZAW. The Texas chapter
of ATSSA and the Texas DOT, for example, worked together to continue
their 3-year effort to publicly spotlight work zone safety. With the
increase of nighttime work zones in Texas, ATSSA and the Texas DOT focused
on publicizing the increased risk posed by nighttime roadwork. They
have undertaken an ambitious publicity campaign that includes the distribution
of bumper stickers, posters, and ribbons; newspaper coverage; and "toolbox"
safety talks, which are on-the-job discussions about safety issues and
techniques. They also worked with local traffic reporters to remind
the public about the importance and relevance of NWZAW.
Although it was not ready for the 2002 NWZAW, the Texas chapter of
ATSSA is working to create a video that reveals the differences between
daytime and nighttime work zones. Many work zone safety technologies
are not suited for nighttime work, and driver perception is hampered
at night. According to ATSSA member Dane Alsabrook, these differences
demonstrate the need for greater driver awareness and for the development
of new technologies to improve safety. Alsabrook says, "I'm proud
of our organization, because most of our members are working contractors
who have volunteered their time, with no budget, to advance our efforts
to increase work zone safety."
"Our surveys of the public's concerns tell us that people want
us to think differently about how we do construction projects,"
notes Peters. "It is only through a careful examination of all
the processes that lead up to a construction project that we will make
a substantial change in the impact of a work zone on travelers and workers."
For more information about NWZAW, contact Mike Robinson at FHWA, 202-366-2193
(fax: 202-366-2249; email: mike.robinson@fhwa.dot.gov),
or James Baron at ATSSA, 800-272-8772, ext. 113 (email: jimb@atssa.com).
Information is also available on the Web at safety.fhwa.dot.gov
or www.atssa.
com/meetevents/nwzaw.htm.
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The emphasis on work zone safety
doesn't end with NWZAW. ARTBA, in partnership with the Texas Transportation
Institute, recently
announced the Second International Conference on Roadway Work
Zone Safety. This year's conference, scheduled for December 2-6,
2002, in Orlando, Florida, will bring together government leaders,
contractors, labor representatives, engineers, manufacturers,
and trade associations to discuss all aspects of work zone safety.
More information will soon be available on the ARTBA Web site
at www.artba.org.
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Articles in this issue:
RAP and Superpave: An Excellent Blend
Now is the Time for Work Zone Safety
A High-Performance Steel Scorecard
Professor Training Workshop Showcases DataPave
3.0
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