MoDOT recently hosted news events across the state in partnership with the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) to launch Work Zone Awareness Week and mark the beginning of Missouri’s busiest construction season to date.
The week kicked off on April 21 with MoDOT, industry partners, MSHP, and work zone crash victim advocates who urged drivers to put down their phones and slow down in work zones to ensure the safety of themselves, other drivers, and highway workers on the roadways.
Throughout the week, MSHP and local law enforcement conducted saturation patrols near work zones across the state to reinforce the message of work zone safety.
– In St. Louis, MSHP Troop C focused significant efforts on the Interstate 270/Ladue work zone, targeting motorists who were speeding, driving carelessly, following other vehicles too closely, driving while intoxicated, and more. In just one day, the saturation patrol resulted in 76 arrests and 37 warnings.
– In Kansas City, the KC Police Department conducted a “Move Over” operation aimed at drivers who were not properly slowing down and moving over in a work zone. In just one day, they issued 222 citations or warnings.
National Work Zone Awareness Week is important not only for keeping motorists safe but also for highlighting MoDOT’s busiest construction season on record. Drivers can check the Traveler Information Map to see which work zones are active in their areas and plan an alternate route.
Motorists can also complete a Work Zone Customer Survey to provide feedback to maintenance crews about their experiences.
