To draw attention to avoidable work zone tragedies, the Oregon-Columbia Chapter of the Associated General Contractors, the Oregon Trucking Associations, AAA Oregon/Idaho, the Oregon State Police, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and several area law enforcement agencies gathered at the OR 99W: N. Victory Boulevard to N. Argyle Street Improvement Project in North Portland earlier this morning to remind travelers to slow down and pay attention when they are in or near a work zone.
AGC’s Second Vice-President, Brian Gray with Knife River, spoke to the media about a crew member of his that was hit and killed in a work zone accident. He highlighted that speed and distracted driving are major causes of work zone crashes and are completely preventable.
Gray stressed that a successful approach to work zone safety must be three-pronged:
- Engineering a positive separation between the public and workers on job sites;
- Enforcement of appropriate work zone speeds with the presence of police vehicles in and around job sites; and
- Education of the public on identifying work zone signs and obeying speed zones
During the event, members of the press were also able to speak to workers who had been hit and injured by drivers while working in highway work zones as well as members of law enforcement on the various strategies they use to both enforce the laws and educate the public.
The media event was considered a success by all involved and will hopefully lead to greater driver awareness in the hundreds of highway work zones around the state.