NEW ORLEANS, La. – With a cone memorial serving as a backdrop, District 02 Administrator Michael Stack of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) was joined by safety partners at the New Orleans Work Zone Awareness press conference.

Held at the Regional Transportation Management Center (RTMC), the event recognized National Work Zone Awareness Week, which was declared by Governor Bobby Jindal as April 4-8 in Louisiana.

Stack and representatives of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Louisiana State Police (LSP) reminded motorists of the importance of work zone safety. Stack said, "As important as the state’s infrastructure is, it is most important to create a safe work zone environment for the many Louisiana citizens – and other men and women across the country – who help build that infrastructure."

Joining Stack at the podium were Mary Stringfellow, program delivery team leader for the FHWA’s Louisiana Division, and Captain Carl F. Saizan, commander of Troop B for LSP, both of whom detailed their respective organizations role in the latest safety initiative – the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Destination Zero Deaths.

DOTD District 02 employees placed 667 orange and white cones around the RTMC in remembrance of those who lost their lives in work zone accidents nationwide, including 16 representing Louisiana citizens who perished. The figures are based on 2009 reports, the most recent available from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Additional statistics show that 274 people have died from motor-vehicle crashes in Louisiana’s work zones since 1989 and 735 injuries occurred in Louisiana work zones in 2009.

To learn more about the Strategic Highway Safety Plan and how the FHWA and state police are working with DOTD to reduce the number of fatalities on Louisiana’s roadways, visit the interactive Destination Zero Deaths website at www.destinationzerodeaths.com.

DOTD is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, 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).