AASHTO Journal - State DOTs Prep for Nat'l Work Zone Awareness Week

Across the country, state departments of transportation are directly planning or helping plan a variety of events in support of National Work Zone Awareness Week or NWZAW, which runs from April 21 through April 25 this year.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has been named the host of the week-long nationwide NWZAW effort to promote safety in highway work zones. The agency plans to hold a news conference at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds on April 22 as part of 2025 campaign, at which the National Work Zone Memorial honoring people killed in work zones will be unveiled.

NCDOT noted it will be posting videos, social media messages, and news releases from April 21-25 to further promote highway work zone safety.

Accompanying the campaign is a national poster – designed by a consortium of groups led by the American Traffic Safety Services Association and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials – based on the slogan “Respect the Zone So We All Get Home” that transportation agencies across the country will use for their own work zone safety promotions.

“Far too many people are killed or seriously injured in work zones,” said Joey Hopkins, NCDOT secretary, in a statement. “These deaths and injuries are preventable if drivers would simply slow down, be cautious and pay attention to the road when they are behind the wheel.”

Other state DOTs are engaged in similar efforts.

For example, the Texas Department of Transportation is using its “Be Safe Drive Smart” campaign to promote work zone safety as part of the 2025 NWZAW campaign to help prevent crashes and fatalities.

“Our brave and dedicated road crews work year-round across the state, and we need drivers to stay alert in work zones to help keep them and each other safe,” said Marc Williams, TxDOT executive director, in a statement. “Work zones can mean changing and unexpected conditions as crews work on the roadway. That’s why it’s vital that all Texans plan, avoid distractions and never rush through a work zone.”

[Editor’s note: At its 2024 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, AASHTO signed a memorandum of understanding with the North American Association of Transportation Safety and Health Officials that included a commitment to work together on ways to further improve work zone safety.]

The Alabama Department of Transportation is also encouraging motorists to be more observant of highway work zones as part of the 2025 NWZAW campaign and is deploying its 30-foot-tall “Cone Crusader” to aid in that effort.

Constructed entirely of orange traffic barrels, cones, signage, and a generous helping of highway safety spirit, the “Crusader” made his debut in front of Alabama DOT headquarters in Mobile just off I-65 three years ago and has since become an annual icon, appearing at various welcome centers to greet motorists and raise awareness about work zone safety.

“He may be made of plastic, but his message is serious,” said Matt Ericksen, Alabama DOT’s southwest region engineer. “Every cone and barrel out there represents someone’s jobsite — and someone’s life. When drivers respect the zone, they help make sure everyone, from workers to fellow travelers, gets home safely.”

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is joining with the Massachusetts State Police and AAA to remind motorists to exercise caution when passing through active construction and maintenance projects.

“Here in Massachusetts and across the country, construction workers risk their lives every day to build and maintain the roads we all rely on,” said Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT secretary and CEO, in a statement. “We owe it to them—and their families—to do our part. When driving through a work zone, slow down, stay alert, and be aware of your surroundings. Protecting workers from injury or tragedy isn’t just a seasonal responsibility—it’s something we all must commit to, every time we get behind the wheel.”

“National Work Zone Awareness Week serves as a critical reminder that work zone safety is a shared responsibility. Recent worker fatalities and injuries in Massachusetts and nationwide are a somber reminder of the real dangers that highway workers face every day,” added Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT highway administrator.

“Drivers must slow down, stay alert, and follow traffic laws to protect the men and women working on our roadways,” he stressed. “Work zone safety isn’t just a one-week focus; it’s a year-round commitment to ensuring everyone gets home safely to the families.”

[Editor’s note: The video below recently issued by the Colorado Department of Transportation honors Trent Umberger and Nathan Jones, who were killed in a highway work zone crash in September 2024.]

To amplify its NWZAW outreach efforts, the Georgia Department of Transportation put together a special “Work Zone Safety” episode of its “Ahead of the Curve” podcast. In that episode, the podcast’s host – Natalie Dale – interviewed Sharon Morales, Georgia DOT’s state safety manager, and Ed David Adams, the agency’s safety program manager, about how the department strives to increase safety in road construction work zones for both motorists and its workers.

“Far too many families have experienced the heartbreak of loved ones never returning home due to work zone related crashes,” said Russell McMurry, Georgia DOT commissioner, in a separate statement. “What you do behind the wheel has lasting consequences. Please drive responsibly in and around work zones to keep everyone safe.”