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Orange work-zone barrels are appearing all around us, and while construction projects often can lead to traffic delays, we remind everyone about the importance of driving safely through construction zones.
That's the message being shared once again across the country as National Work Zone Awareness Week wraps up, and drivers again are reminded to be patient, slow down and pay attention in road construction areas.
Work already has started in our area. Municipal workers have been busy patching potholes, cleaning storm drains and making other repairs on city streets; traffic is restricted to one lane on portions of state Route 7 in several areas, including the stretch that runs between Steubenville and Mingo Junction; lane restrictions have returned to the Veterans Memorial Bridge; bridge work continues in the Toronto and Wellsburg areas; a large stretch of U.S. Route 22 just west of Wintersville is being repaved; and construction continues on the Lovers Lane renovation in Steubenville's West End.
That's in addition to all of the other work that is expected to take place across the Tri-State Area.
Statistics from across our region show just how dangerous work zone accidents can be.
Nationally, there were 874 total fatal work zone accidents that took the lives of 956 people during 2021, the last year the National Workzone Safety Information Clearinghouse has information from.
Ohio recorded 4,098 work zone-related crashes in 2023, 36 percent of which had workers present, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The state also saw 1,433 injuries from work zone-related crashes, 110 of them serious. Nine people were killed in these crashes, including one contractor.
Our region is not immune, according to informtion compiled by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Since April 1, 2023, Jefferson County has seen 18 work zone crashes that have included property damage, eight in which a minor injury is suspected and one where an injury was possible. In Belmont County, there were 28 crashes involving property damage, seven where an injury was possible and five where an injury was suspected. Columbiana County, meanwhile, has seen eight crashes involving property damage. In Carroll County, there have been four accidents involving property damage, one where a serious injury is suspected and one where a minor injury is suspected. And, in Harrison County, there have been four accidents involving property damage and two where injuries are possible.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were about 1,216 work zone crashes and 22 fatalities reported in 2023. Since 1970, 90 PennDOT employees have died while on the job, while the Pennsylvania Turnpike has lost 45 workers since 1940. Those numbers struck home on Wednesday morning, when three workers on a maintenance project were struck and killed by a truck on Interstate 83 about 8 miles south of Harrisburg.
And, in 2023, West Virginia saw 800 work zone crashes and eight fatalities.
It isn't just major construction projects that create safety concerns. State, county and local highway workers often are seen on the side of roads while making minor improvements. Throughout the region, traffic laws require motorists to move over a lane for all roadside workers. If they cannot move over, drivers should slow down.
Everyone is on a tight schedule and in a hurry to get from here to there, and that can make a construction zone frustrating. Riding right behind the bumper of the vehicle in front of you, however, won't result in a quicker trip.
Traffic slows in construction zones for a reason. Construction vehicles often pull onto and off of highways, and workers and heavy equipment operate sometimes just a few feet from the open lanes of travel.
Drivers have to be alert when traveling through a work zone, and that means allowing enough distance between vehicles so a sudden stop can be made without a collision. That's especially true in longer work zones -- research conducted by the college of engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shows that work zones more than 1.8 miles long could increase crash risks.
The study also showed that road work conducted during the night does not increase the risk of accidents.
Flaggers and construction zone signs warn and advise motorists of what to expect in work zones. Variable speed limits are used in some construction areas. Remember to heed all warnings and follow all posted speed limits -- speeding violations in construction zones are several times more expensive than an ordinary ticket.
Area residents like to complain about the condition of roads and bridges. We ask everyone to remember that work is under way to make needed repairs and improvements -- and patience and safe driving go hand-in-hand with the road construction season.