Working Beyond the Zone

On the surface, the definition of work-zone safety seems pretty clear: protect and provide the workers within a work zone a safe environment so that they may fulfill their obligations while maintaining a consistent traffic flow for the motorists.

But the formula for a successful, safe work zone goes beyond the work zone itself and the definition above. Seldom recognized in the definition is the onus which falls on the motorist and their role in contributing to a safe work zone.

In this installment of Industry Interview, Roger Wentz, executive director of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), addresses the role of the motoring public and what they can do to make work zones safer. Wentz also answers TM+E's questions on National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week and the National Work Zone Memorial, which recognizes those who have lost their lives in work zones.

TM+E: One of your association's main goals is to make drivers aware of the dangers of speeding in road construction work zones. Have the association's efforts proven successful?

Roger Wentz: Unfortunately, work zone fatalities and injuries have increased over the last several years to a record number in 2001, the last year for which data is available. And, the majority of the victims continue to be motorists.

We need not only to get drivers to slow down in work zones, but to modify other behaviors such as racing down the closure lane to cut back into traffic and engaging in other distractions such as cell phone use. Common sense and common courtesy would also help here. Drivers need to be aware that work zones have unusual activity that demands more of their attention when they are behind the wheel.

That's why we launched National Work Zone Awareness Week through a cooperative agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO). We're delighted that over 40 organizations joined together to sponsor events in almost every state last year. This is a great opportunity to get the safety message out at the state and local level.

Workers also are highly at risk, as they aren't protected by several thousand pounds of metal. We think that all workers must be trained to a high standard both for their own protection and for that of the motorist. State and local project owners should mandate those standards so that all contractors have a "level playing field."

ATSSA also created the National Work Zone Memorial as permanent recognition for those who have lost their lives building our roadways.

TM+E: What are the biggest changes that you have noticed in the attitude toward road construction work zones?

Wentz: On the public level, people everywhere are in more of a hurry today than they were 10 or 20 years ago. They are also driving more--vehicle miles traveled have increased. With the combination of more two-worker households and congestion, many drivers see work zones as an inconvenience.

Sometimes they even get angry with the workers who are there rebuilding the roads to make them safer and to reduce congestion.

I think that with the advent of TEA-21 and the increased need to rebuild our aging infrastructure, both public agencies and the private sector have recognized that we need to let motorists know when and why we are undertaking a project.

In recent years, we have begun to see greater efforts at communicating to the public--the Springfield Interchange in the Washington area is a great example as was the I-15 project in Utah. When people understand the long-term benefits, they're more likely to accept the short-term inconvenience.

TM+E: Work zones have changed dramatically from 20 years ago to today. Undoubtedly, they will be even more different 20 years from now. Describe the evolution of work zones and work-zone safety and how the work zone of today may differ in the future.

Wentz: Although I have been associated with ATSSA for only five years, I have the good fortune to have members who have been in the business for a lifetime. Some of them still have a couple of "smudge pots" which were used to delineate roadwork decades ago. If you look at signage from 20 years ago, it seems barely legible compared to the more advanced products of today.

Today we have more visible signage, variable message boards that provide the motorist with real-time information and more protection for the worker with positive separation, brighter garments, intrusion alarms, etc. Even the media are focusing on work zones.

But those workers are working under more dangerous conditions today--more congestion, much more night work and in many cases higher traffic speeds because motorists don't slow down.

We seem to be at a time when everyone realizes the importance of communication to the motorist--both advance project communication and real-time information on the roadway. With the advances in ITS, it is very likely that work-zone devices will send information directly to motorists' in-vehicle systems.

While we now have a need to replace our aging infrastructure, advances in materials should mean longer-lasting roadways and less work-zone "frequency" in 20 years.

TM+E: National Work Zone Awareness Week is held in April every year. What were the highlights of this past year's event? When is it going to be held in 2003 and what is planned for that event?

Wentz: A key highlight of this year's event was the dedication and unveiling of ATSSA's National Work Zone Memorial by Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) and his personal involvement in the ceremony.

Several families of those killed in work zones were also on hand for the event to share the personal stories of their losses. More importantly, though, it was a moving, fitting ceremony that put the families first, and then similar events were repeated in over a dozen other locations nationwide as the memorial traveled across the country.

Each year, we have worked hard with FHWA, AASHTO, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and others to do something different and creative to get the work-zone safety message to the public. What is very important to note is since the creation of National Work Zone Awareness Week in 1999, we went from three partners to nearly 50 in the Washington, D.C. metro area alone.

As for the 2003 event, the exact details are still being worked out. I can tell you that it promises to be yet another emotional event that will continue to drive home the message that over 1,000 fatalities each year in roadway work zones is unacceptable.

TM+E: How has the general public responded to the National Work Zone Memorial?

Wentz: The National Work Zone Memorial has been received very positively everywhere it has traveled. Our communications director, James Baron, attended AASHTO's National Transportation Public Affairs Workshop in Philadelphia this past August and spoke to many DOT public affairs directors who hosted the memorial in their local jurisdictions.

One thing the overwhelming majority of them liked about the memorial is the flexibility of the whole concept. The memorial can be used in a wide variety of settings and events--from new road project dedications, to state fairs, in community events such as roadway clean-ups, or the memorial can simply be put on display in state capitols.

TM+E: Where is the memorial going to go in 2003?

Wentz: For the 2003 season, we already have 13 requests for the memorial in various locations across the country. We have placed this and other important information on our webpage (www.atssa.com).

TM+E: ATSSA's 33rd Annual Convention and Traffic Expo is scheduled for Jan.31-Feb.4 in New Orleans. Why should a TM+E reader attend?

Wentz: Traffic Expo is the world's largest exhibition devoted exclusively to roadway safety devices, products and services. Not only can you meet face to face with suppliers who can help you with products and services to meet your everyday problems, it's the show for new product launches and the place to see all of the industry's latest technologies.

Each year, about 15% of Traffic Expo exhibitors are new to the show. This guarantees that you will see the latest products and services available.  TME