DOTD kicks off annual Work Zone Awareness Week in New Orleans
Wednesday, April 06, 2016 at 10:36:44 AM
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Today, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development hosted a press conference at the New Orleans Regional Transportation Management Center to kick off the state’s effort for Work Zone Awareness Week, recognized this year April 11-15, nationwide.
This year’s theme, “Don’t Be THAT Driver! Work on Safety. Get Home Safely. Every Day,” reinforces the message that motorists should be constantly alert and prepared for unexpected changes in and around work zones. DOTD District Administrator Chris Morvant, along with Barry Lacy, who heads up DOTD’s effort to ensure work zone safety policies are adhered to, and Destination Zero Deaths partner Captain and Troop B Commander Donovan Archote of Louisiana State Police emphasized the importance of driver awareness, safe maneuvering, and the perils of distracted driving.
“Last year, I told you the story of two DOTD employees who were injured during a roadway operation on Interstate 10 on New Year’s Eve 2014. They are still recovering,” said Morvant. “We are reminded daily of the dangers we face performing our jobs on our state’s highways and bridges. I can’t stress enough the importance of paying attention and using caution when traveling through work zones.”
“The fact is, Nationwide, you will hit a work zone on the average – every 50 miles. DOTD has tripled the number of projects let to construction, so that’s triple the amount of work zones out there on our roads – more orange signs, cones and barrels,” said Lacy. “All of us are here today with a common goal…to stress the importance of driving safely, especially through work zones. Don’t drive distracted or impaired; pay attention to signage and safety markers.”
“Louisiana State Police is committed to public safety on our highways,” said Capt. Archote. “Work zones can be deadly when laws are not followed. We ask that all motorists pay attention to signage and detours, obey reduced speed limits, avoid all distractions in the vehicle and ensure that every passenger is properly buckled up in the front and rear seats. Dial *LSP to report hazardous motorists and help Troopers keep our highways safe.”
In New Orleans, a safety cone memorial is displayed outside the RTMC in recognition of those who lost their lives in work zones nationwide in 2014. Similar cone memorials are erected in other areas around the state. In 2014, 669 fatalities were recorded – 13 in Louisiana. The data gathered is the most recent year for which figures were available from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Since 1999, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the Federal Highway Administration and the American Traffic Safety Services Association have coordinated and sponsored National Work Zone Awareness Week.
For more information about Work Zone Awareness, log onto www.destinationzerodeaths.com. For information on DOTD, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).
-www.dotd.la.gov-