The connected work zone is here to stay, but how will it improve safety?  

Making work zones safer has always been one of the construction industry's most persistent challenges. Contractors and transportation agencies want better options for protecting workers and roadway users from work zone intrusions, struck-by incidents, speeding and worker exposure. 

Technology has presented the industry with options like speed safety cameras, connected vehicle systems and worker presence warning technologies. But will implementing these tools improve safety?  

Ahead of the 2026 National Work Zone Management Conference, Roads & Bridges spoke with Bradley M. Sant, senior vice president of safety and education at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), about the industry's most pressing work zone safety issues, the technologies showing the most promise and what attendees can expect from this year's return to an in-person format. 

R&B: What makes the 2026 National Work Zone Management Conference particularly important right now, given the safety challenges facing workers and roadway users and the pace of change in work zone technology? 

BS: As you noted, technology is advancing rapidly, creating new opportunities to improve safety for workers and road users. Keeping pace with these innovations can be challenging. We plan to work with state DOTs that are testing emerging products and services, evaluate their performance, and share the results. Our goal is to identify what is effective, what is not and what lessons can be applied more broadly. 

R&B: The conference will address issues ranging from work zone intrusions and struck-by incidents to flagger exposure and site access and egress. Which safety challenges do you believe the industry needs to make the most progress on, and why? 

BS: Work zone intrusions continue to be one of our most difficult safety challenges. While we can implement effective traffic control, provide training and deploy a range of protective measures, we cannot eliminate the risk posed by drivers who enter work zones because of distraction, fatigue, impairment or impatience. As a result, we will focus on strategies to reduce intrusions and improve worker protection, including reviewing updated FHWA regulations that increasingly emphasize the use of positive protection. 

R&B: Technologies such as connected vehicles, smart work zone warning systems, dynamic zipper merges and speed safety cameras are changing how work zones are managed. Which emerging technologies do you think have the greatest potential to improve work zone safety, and what will it take for contractors and transportation agencies to implement them effectively? 

BS: Although many technologies have contributed to safer work zones, active enforcement continues to be one of the most effective measures for influencing driver behavior. As a result, speed safety cameras have emerged as a particularly promising strategy for reducing speeds and improving safety in work zones. During the conference, we will explore how these programs are being deployed nationwide and discuss the various approaches states are taking to implement them successfully within their jurisdictions. 

We will also examine emerging worker presence warning systems and the evidence behind them, including whether real-time notifications of worker activity lead to safer driver behavior and greater compliance in active work zones.

R&B: This will be the conference's first in-person gathering since COVID. What do you hope attendees take away from being able to share ideas, discuss challenges and see new practices and technologies face-to-face, and what do you hope this year's conference accomplishes for the industry? 

BS: We are excited to meet in person this year and take advantage of the interactions, networking opportunities and hands-on experiences that only a live event can provide. While virtual conferences offer convenience and accessibility, they cannot fully replicate the value of informal conversations, spontaneous problem-solving discussions or the opportunity to see and evaluate technologies firsthand. 

In-person events allow attendees to continue conversations with presenters after sessions, exchange ideas with peers and engage directly with manufacturers and solution providers. To capture the benefits of both formats, the National Work Zone Management Conference alternates between live and virtual events each year. 

This year's conference promises to be one of our best yet, with a deliberate effort to connect session content with live demonstrations, interactive discussions, and opportunities to experience emerging technologies in action.