Nat'l Work Zone Safety week begins April 15

ALBANY | April 15 to 19 is National Work Zone Awareness Week, with New York State participating. The national theme is "Work Zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever." State landmarks will be lit in orange on Wednesday, April 17, in honor of highway workers across New York State. The Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program operated by the State Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority will continue this construction season, as will "Operation Hardhat," a work zone enforcement program carried out by state and local law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will be launching a public awareness campaign on social media to raise awareness of the dangers highway workers face every day in work zones. "New Yorkers owe our highway workers a debt of gratitude for the work that they do to keep our roadways functional and safe," Gov. Hochul said. "The easiest way we can thank them is by driving safely through work zones and giving them plenty of space, making sure that they get home to their families everyday. I call on all New Yorkers to recognize the importance of highway workers as we commemorate National Work Zone Awareness Week." In 2023, NYSDOT experienced 214 work zone traffic intrusions while constructing capital projects or performing highway maintenance activities. Additionally, there were nearly 200 crashes in Thruway work zones, leading to 37 injuries. The majority of crashes were caused by either distracted driving, following too closely, unsafe lane change or disregarding traffic warning signs. Operation Hardhat will begin again in April in an effort to enforce vehicle and traffic laws in highway work zones. Under Operation Hardhat, State Troopers or local police officers are dressed as highway maintenance workers in active NYSDOT or Thruway work zones across New York, identifying and citing motorists for a number of violations, including disobeying flagging personnel, speeding through work zones, cell phone and seatbelt use, and/or violations of the State's Move Over law. In 2023, 2,919 tickets were issued by State Police and participating law enforcement agencies during 84 deployments across the state for speeding, cell phone usage, seat belt noncompliance, failure to move over or obey traffic control devices, among other infractions. The Automated Work Zone Speed Monitoring pilot program was established by legislation signed into law by Gov. Hochul in 2021 and a technology operator for the program was selected following a competitive bidding process. Under the program, all vehicles detected violating the posted speed limit within a work zone by over an established threshold are fined. Images of the driver or contents of the vehicle will not be documented. Fines through the pilot program are issued as follows: $50 for first violation $75 for second violation $100 for third and subsequent violations within 18 months of the first violation Unpaid fines may result in a vehicle registration hold where drivers will not be able to renew their registrations without first paying their fines. Owners may contest a violation within 30 days of when they received notice. As required by law, 60 percent of the funds collected by NYSDOT and the Thruway Authority through the program will supplement work zone safety projects. Since the program was launched in the spring of 2023, there have been more than 2,760 deployments in work zones along the Thruway and roadways controlled by NYSDOT, resulting in more than 167,340 notices of liability being issued to registered vehicle owners. LIGHTING OF LANDMARKS The landmarks to be lit in recognition of Go Orange Day on April 17 include: Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Kosciuszko Bridge The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building State Education Building Alfred E. Smith State Office Building Niagara Falls Empire State Plaza One World Trade Center State Fairgrounds - Main Gate & Expo Center Albany International Airport Gateway MTA LIRR - East End Gateway at Penn Station Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal Moynihan Train Hall Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park Recognizing and understanding signs leading up to and within a work zone is essential for the safety of all drivers and roadside workers. Maintenance crews across the state work alongside fast-moving traffic each day, knowing their lives depend on drivers being alert, patient and cautious. It is critically important that motorists eliminate distractions, pay attention to driving and move over for workers. As construction season continues, maintenance and work crews will continue to be out on the road performing repairs and improvements to ensure roads are safe for motorists. All travelers should be prepared to reduce speeds and to be alert when passing through work zones. To learn more about work zone safety, visit the State's comprehensive website.

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Nat'l Work Zone Safety week begins April 15

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