MONROE - Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel is urging motorists to drive carefully in highway work zones as the maintenance and construction season begins throughout Wisconsin.
As the weather turns warmer, work zones will be more prevalent, putting more highway workers and drivers at risk. In 2013, the most recent year in which data is available, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported that there were nearly 1,600 work-zone crashes in the state, resulting in 629 injuries and nine fatalities. In 2015, the construction season was marred by three tragedies in which Wisconsin county highway workers were killed within work zones.
National Work Zone Awareness Week, sponsored by federal, state and local transportation officials each April, draws attention to the safety needs of road workers during construction season. The Green County board has proclaimed April 11-15 as Work Zone Awareness Week.
Generally, crashes occur when drivers speed through a work zone, do not pay attention to changing road conditions, run into other vehicles or highway equipment, or drive off the road completely.
"Many sections of our state and county roads will be busy with workers and drivers in the coming months as construction and maintenance activities begin to ramp up," Wunschel said. "By following the rules of the road in work zones, we can keep people safe during National Work Zone Awareness Week and all year long. Please remember that our road workers are performing their duties in order to provide for a safe and efficient transportation system. They are community members, spouses, parents, and friends within our County and deserve to go home safe every night."
Wunschel added that Wisconsin recently passed a law that makes it illegal to use a cell phone in a work zone.
While typical construction work zones are prevalent throughout the state, there are also a significant number of maintenance operations that may be short-term or moving operations. Drivers are reminded of the state's "Move Over, Slow Down" law which requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to provide a "safety zone" for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck, utility vehicle, or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing.
Sheriff Mark Rohloff echoed many of the same concerns, adding that substantial penalties apply for failing to comply with the law in these safety zones. Fines are typically doubled, and motorists face felony charges if a collision results in great bodily harm or death. This season, deputies will be coordinating enforcement efforts with the highway department to monitor compliance during road construction activities.
The Green County Highway Department has maintenance and construction projects planned throughout this year. Additional information on specific projects can be found on its website at www.co.green.wi.gov. More information is also available by calling the department at 608-328-9411.
As the weather turns warmer, work zones will be more prevalent, putting more highway workers and drivers at risk. In 2013, the most recent year in which data is available, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported that there were nearly 1,600 work-zone crashes in the state, resulting in 629 injuries and nine fatalities. In 2015, the construction season was marred by three tragedies in which Wisconsin county highway workers were killed within work zones.
National Work Zone Awareness Week, sponsored by federal, state and local transportation officials each April, draws attention to the safety needs of road workers during construction season. The Green County board has proclaimed April 11-15 as Work Zone Awareness Week.
Generally, crashes occur when drivers speed through a work zone, do not pay attention to changing road conditions, run into other vehicles or highway equipment, or drive off the road completely.
"Many sections of our state and county roads will be busy with workers and drivers in the coming months as construction and maintenance activities begin to ramp up," Wunschel said. "By following the rules of the road in work zones, we can keep people safe during National Work Zone Awareness Week and all year long. Please remember that our road workers are performing their duties in order to provide for a safe and efficient transportation system. They are community members, spouses, parents, and friends within our County and deserve to go home safe every night."
Wunschel added that Wisconsin recently passed a law that makes it illegal to use a cell phone in a work zone.
While typical construction work zones are prevalent throughout the state, there are also a significant number of maintenance operations that may be short-term or moving operations. Drivers are reminded of the state's "Move Over, Slow Down" law which requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to provide a "safety zone" for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck, utility vehicle, or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing.
Sheriff Mark Rohloff echoed many of the same concerns, adding that substantial penalties apply for failing to comply with the law in these safety zones. Fines are typically doubled, and motorists face felony charges if a collision results in great bodily harm or death. This season, deputies will be coordinating enforcement efforts with the highway department to monitor compliance during road construction activities.
The Green County Highway Department has maintenance and construction projects planned throughout this year. Additional information on specific projects can be found on its website at www.co.green.wi.gov. More information is also available by calling the department at 608-328-9411.