LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is reminding citizens that April 20-24 marks National Work Zone Awareness Week in Michigan.
According to the department, National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual event that focuses national attention on worker and motorist safety in work zones. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first national event, held in Virginia in 2000.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 2020 NWZAW kick-off event has been canceled. The department is still encouraging citizens to make work zone safety a priority for all workers and road users by driving carefully in and around work zones.
The theme for this year’s week is “Safe work zones for all: Protect workers. Protect road users.”
“Now, more than ever, the transport and delivery of essential items is crucial,” MDOT officials said in a statement. “Despite the delay of some projects due to the pandemic, there are many active work zones throughout the state. Roads must be maintained. Bridges need to be inspected. All available contractors have been briefed on the appropriate safety methods to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
According to date provided by MDOT, as of Friday, April 10, traffic volumes were down by about 60 percent. In other words, there were approximately 1.7 million vehicles on Michigan roadways, while on that same day last year there were more than 4.5 million.
With this in mind, officials are reminding citizens to remain driving safely.
“It’s tempting to drive faster when traffic is light,” MDOT Work Zone Delivery Engineer Chris Brookes said. “But even with lower traffic volumes, it’s so important to slow down through these work zones for the safety of everyone.”
Citizens will have the opportunity to show support for the safety of road workers and everyone on the road. Citizens can “Go Orange” on Wednesday, April 22. This can be done by sharing a photo on social media of yourself or your team wearing orange, including the hashtags #Orange4Safety and #NWZAW.
To plan ahead for safer driving, a list of active work zones can be found online at www.Michigan.gov/Drive.
More information about the campaign can be found at this link.
