'Operation Yellow Jacket' targets work zone speeders in North Central PA
Pa. (WETM) — If you're speeding through a highway work zone in North Central Pennsylvania, you might not notice a state police trooper sitting in a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation truck (PennDOT), until it's too late.
PennDOT and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced in a release the launch of 'Operation Yellow Jacket', a collaborative work zone enforcement initiative aimed at protecting both drivers and construction workers on North Central Pennsylvania roads.
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According to the release, this program puts troopers inside PennDOT vehicles parked in active construction zones. From there, they keep an eye out for speeding, tailgating, distracted driving, and other unsafe behavior. The release further stated, if a violation is spotted, that trooper will radio another in a marked patrol car to pull the driver over.
'Our goal is to change driver behavior and to increase work zone safety,' said Trooper Sara Barrett, Public Information Officer with PSP Troop F. 'Speeding, distracted driving, and aggressive driving behavior is dangerous and can cost people their lives. We want the public to realize that the state police have a presence in work zones and are actively working to promote work zone safety,' she said. The strategy is meant to send a strong message, work zones are not a place for risky driving.
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Ken Blair, Assistant District Engineer for Maintenance at PennDOT, stressed that traffic control measures and lowered speed limits exist to protect everyone on the road. The release explained that this strategy is timely; in 2024 alone, PennDOT logged 1,250 work zone crashes statewide, which led to 22 deaths and 62 serious injuries. The release further stated, since 1970, 91 PennDOT workers have died while on the job.
State law backs up this initiative with strict penalties, the release pointed out. So next time you see a PennDOT truck in an active work zone, remember, it might not just be carrying cones, it could be carrying a trooper.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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