CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546

FOR RELEASE: April 3, 2017

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Connecticut Department of Transportation Kicks off Work Zone Awareness Week

“Work Zone Safety is in Your Hands”

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) and states across the country are promoting National Work Zone Awareness Week from April 3-7, 2017.  Winter always results in a lot of maintenance and construction activity on roads and bridges.  Projects that have been dormant during the winter months will start up again in earnest with the traditional start of the construction season April 1.

The theme for National Work Zone Awareness Week 2017 is “Work Zone Safety is in Your Hands.”  Since the creation of the national campaign by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), ATSSA and AASHTO, the number of work zone fatalities has dropped significantly. The national and state campaigns are designed to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of work zones in an effort to increase the safety of workers and motorists on the roads.

“Connecticut actively supports and promotes local and national efforts to improve safety in work zones for everyone traveling and working on its roadways,” said Governor Dannel P. Malloy in a proclamation marking Work Zone Safety Awareness Week. “And we continue to honor the men and women who have died while working in highway work zones. We remind motorists that work zone safety is in your hands, so please obey the orange as you travel through work zones.”

Connecticut’s mottoes, “Obey the Orange - Slow Down For Work Zones” and “Expect the Unexpected,” emphasize that each of us – whether motorist, pedestrian, or worker – can all play a role in reducing the number of crashes and injuries by exercising caution in roadway work zones. 

Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman will be a guest speaker at the press conference, which will also announce the winners of the 2017 Roadway Safety Poster Contest.  The poster contest is open to all public school children in grades K-6.

The event will also be attended by highway construction and maintenance workers, private contractors, public utility companies, construction industry associations, and state and local police to help increase the awareness and importance of safe driving by the motoring public.

To get up-to-date information as well as safety tips and news, visit the Department of Transportation Website at www.ct.gov/dot and click on Obey the Orange logo or go to www.facebook.com/CTWorkZoneSafety