logo
National Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week

Yahoo23-04-2025

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The weather has warmed up and for some, that means more traveling, but for the Indiana Department of Transportation, that means more road construction.
Blake Dollier, Public Relations Director for the Indiana Department of Transportation, said the numbers are staggering.
'In 2024 alone, there were over 7,000 crashes that occurred in work zones or work zone backups', Dollier said. 'There were over 1500 injuries that occurred in work zones and work zones backups, in addition to 30 fatalities. That is simply too many. We are working tirelessly, day in and day out, to protect our workers and to protect the drivers and their passengers.'
One highway maintenance technician, Matt Schalburg, said he has seen a number of work zone accidents, and the most common issue is distractions.
'Basically, it's not paying attention', Schalburg said. 'It's inattention from everything from a cell phone to, I've actually seen, people with a newspaper spread across the steering wheel as they are driving through zones.'
To bring the issue to light, the Indiana Department of Transportation has deemed this week National Work Zone Awareness Week.
They are looking to shed light on safe driving habits as work zones increase across the state.
'As you go out into your travels, make sure you are aware of the work zones that are happening, abiding by the posted speed limit, avoiding distracted driving, and doing everything you possibly can to keep yourself safe and keep our crews safe out on the roadway', Dollier said.
The Indiana Department of Transportation has a website and an app to help drivers plan their routes and be aware of work zones. You can visit their website here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

KYTC plans to begin Glover Cary Bridge repair project next week
KYTC plans to begin Glover Cary Bridge repair project next week

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

KYTC plans to begin Glover Cary Bridge repair project next week

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) announced Thursday that major repairs to the historic Glover Cary Bridge — also known as the Owensboro 'Blue Bridge' — will begin with preliminary work next week. When major repair get underway in early July, the bridge is expected to be closed to all traffic for about 90 days. 'Repairs to safeguard the iconic Glover Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro are scheduled this summer to maintain the vital traffic service it provides across the Ohio River between northwest Kentucky and southern Indiana,' a Thursday press release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said. 'This is the largest repair operation on the Glover Cary Bridge since 2011,' said KYTC district two public information officer Matt Hughes. 'It has closed for more minor repairs since 2011, but this is the biggest project in recent years.' Hughes said that following an inspection of the bridge last fall, engineers estimated needing to close the bridge for around six months. 'But the engineers have worked to streamline the repairs in order to shorten the closure length, to reduce traffic impacts to a minimum,' he said. Last fall's inspection also called for repairs to the roadway on the Indiana side of the bridge, Hughes said. 'During that inspection back in the fall, they found some issues over on the north river in Indiana that were going to require the road to be shut down to make some repairs,' Hughes said. 'We were able to work with the Indiana Department of Transportation to try to get that built into this one project because we're going to have the bridge shut down anyway. So we though to go ahead and get that fixed as well so there won't be more inconvenience for travelers.' According to Thursday's press release, work on the bridge will begin with single-lane closures starting on Monday, June 9 and run through Wednesday, June 11. Flaggers will be directing traffic in an alternating one-lane method. American Contracting & Services, hired by the KYTC, plans to fully close the bridge, which connects Kentucky 2262 with Indiana SR 161, following the Independence Day holiday weekend, in order for the full scope of work to begin. During that time, the aging bridge deck will be replaced, concrete repairs will be made and bridge joints will be repaired. 'While the entire project is slated to last through November, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is limiting the actual bridge closure to 90 days or less. That schedule would have the bridge reopened around the first of October,' stated the press release. Hughes said that construction crews are planning to work through the night in order to keep the repair timeline to 90 days or less. KYTC said that closing only one lane at a time on the bridge wasn't possible to be able to complete all of the repairs. 'Crews will be fully replacing one 750-foot span of concrete-filled bridge decking while making repairs to a second span of the same length. Because the decking spans the entire width of the bridge surface, closing one lane at a time is impossible,' the press release detailed. Closing the bridge for these repairs, Hughes said, 'will allow for long-term concrete maintenance to be completed, rather than short-term repairs, helping to keep the bridge safe and open for many years to come'. Work that can be completed without fully closing the bridge is planned to happen outside of the 90-day window. KYTC estimates that around 7,200 vehicles cross the Blue Bridge, which opened to public traffic in 1940, daily. During the time of the closure, travelers needing to traverse the Ohio River into Southern Indiana should detour to the U.S. 231 William H. Natcher Bridge. Up-to-date traffic information provided by the KYTC can be found at

Lincoln Park Speedway gearing up for USAC race
Lincoln Park Speedway gearing up for USAC race

Yahoo

time5 days ago

  • Yahoo

Lincoln Park Speedway gearing up for USAC race

PUTNAMVILLE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — It's Indiana USAC week, and Lincoln Park Speedway is gearing up for tomorrow. Gates open in the pits at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Track Promoter, Jen Estes, said they will have great concessions, a beer garden and an evening full of action-packed fun. 'If you talk to anybody about dirt track racing, they're going to mention Lincoln Park Speedway. It's been a staple in the area since the '60s, so everybody knows, everybody's been here. If you ask drivers and racers, they're going to tell you this is probably one of their favorite tracks to race at,' said Estes. She said Lincoln Park Speedway has racing from April until September. You can keep up with their schedule and purchase tickets here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store