Governor Walker proclaims April 23-27 as Work Zone Awareness Week in Wisconsin

April 19, 2012

To help prevent traffic crashes in road construction work zones that injure and kill motorists and workers, Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed the week of April 23-27 as Work Zone Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

Governor Walker’s proclamation notes that "construction and maintenance of our streets, highways and utility infrastructure are critical to our state's economic vitality and keeping the state open for business."

The proclamation also reminds drivers that "work zones often require narrowed lanes, lane shifts, temporary pavements, reduced speeds and night work" and advises that "driving through work zones requires motorists' utmost attention."

Last year, there were more than 1,700 work zone crashes in Wisconsin that caused eight deaths and nearly 750 injuries, 71 of which were serious, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

"Driving through a work zone is challenging under the best of circumstances, but your reaction time and margin for error are reduced significantly if you speed, tailgate or don’t pay attention to rapidly changing traffic situations. Rear-end collisions are the most frequent type of crash in a work zone," says WisDOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb. "In work zones, workers and equipment often are operating within a few feet of traffic. Although construction workers are at a great risk of being hit, about three out of four people killed in work zone crashes are motorists. Because of the risks to motorists and workers, traffic fines are double in work zones. By preventing work zone crashes, we can make progress toward the goal of zero preventable traffic deaths in Wisconsin."

A kick-off event for Work Zone Awareness Week will be held:

Monday, April 23, 11 a.m.
Winnebago County Highway Department Memorial Area dedicated to two Winnebago County highway workers who lost their lives in work zone crashes
901 County Y north of Oshkosh

Speakers:

• WisDOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb
• Bess Crowley of Crowley Construction, construction industry representative
• State Patrol Captain Nick Scorcio, Northeast Region—Fond du Lac Post Commander
• Master of Ceremonies Ernie Winters, Winnebago County Highway Commissioner

Ride-alongs with troopers and sheriff’s deputies through US 41 work zones will be available after the ceremony.

For more information, contact:
Steve Olson, WisDOT Office of Public Affairs
(608) 261-5896, steven.olson@dot.wi.gov