Latest news with #NationalWorkZoneAwarenessWeek
Axios
09-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Indy's $200 million construction season heats up
Indy's 2025 road construction is underway with the promise of improving hundreds of miles of roadway and pedestrian-focused pathways throughout the city. Why it matters: The work comes as Indianapolis continues to grapple with a pedestrian safety crisis and growing vehicle crash totals. The big picture: The projects detailed late last week by city officials at Hendricks Park are the next step of Mayor Joe Hogsett's five-year $1 billion capital improvement plan aimed at delivering $859 million in transportation improvements and $180 million in stormwater improvements. Zoom in: Work on the docket this year includes investing $200 million in transportation and $25 million in stormwater. It also includes phase one of the three-phase Madison Avenue Road Diet to improve safety on the south side corridor. Once complete in 2028, the $47 million project will remove two travel lanes, repave more than 16 miles, introduce the 7,200-foot Interurban Trail and add 15,000 linear feet of new curbs and sidewalks between Pleasant Run Parkway and Ray Street. The work is being funded with three rounds of federal grant dollars through the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (IMPO). "This project is about more than just resurfacing a road — it's about reimagining how people move through and experience their neighborhoods," said City-County Councilor Kristin Jones who represents the district and serves as chair of the council's Public Works Committee. State of play: Other big projects scheduled to take shape this season include the $22.7 million Union Station bridge rehabilitation, $14.6 million in streetscape work along 10th and Rural streets, the $20 million conversion of Michigan and New York streets and $18.7 million in improvements along Girls School Road. By the numbers: Crews are working on: ♿ 1,300 new or rehabilitated ADA ramps. 🚲 15 miles of new bike lanes. 🌉 17 bridges. 🌳 Planting 1,077 new trees. 🚶 Introducing 163,976 linear feet of trails. 💦 More than 37,000 linear feet of new or rehabbed storm sewers. What they're saying: "The 2025 construction season is going to be transformational for our city," Hogsett said. "None of these infrastructure improvements would be possible without our dedicated, hardworking team at Indy DPW who will turn more than a quarter of a billion-dollar investment into real, material improvements to our streets." Zoom out: Indy's construction plans were rolled out just weeks after the Indiana Department of Transportation officially marked the start of its 2025 construction season while recognizing National Work Zone Awareness Week. According to INDOT commissioner Lyndsay Quist, more than 1,200 projects are planned statewide with nearly 200 of them focused on improved traffic flow and safety. The host project for INDOT's construction season kickoff was the two-year I-65 Safety and Efficiency project on Indy's southeast side that stretches from north of the I-465 interchange to just south of the I-65/I-70 overpass near Fletcher Avenue. What we're watching: The forecast. This massive year of road work is all weather dependent, and conditions in Indiana these days are growing both more extreme and more unpredictable.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Connecticut leaders to discuss link between child and animal abuse
NEWINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Gov. Ned Lamont will highlight how the state stops child and animal abuse on Wednesday. He says there's often a link between the two, and that being used to identify new cases. This is all in recognition of Child Abuse Awareness Month and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. State leaders remind residents of road safety on National Work Zone Awareness Week Governor Lamont will join animal welfare advocates at 11 a.m. at a news conference in Newington. He'll be highlighting the 'proactive' work among Connecticut state agencies to 'cross-report' accounts of animal cruelty and potential child abuse in households where these reports have occurred. The state says numerous studies show a strong correlation between animal abuse, child maltreatment, and other forms of interpersonal violence, including domestic violence and elder abuse. This correlation is often referred to as 'the link.' In recent years, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture have been working together, using this 'link' to collaborate on work and identify more of these offenses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Road construction on I-70 continues in Terre Haute
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Road work on Interstate 70, around Terre Haute, continues with bridges and roads being replaced in several areas. Public Relations Director for the Indiana Department of Transportation, Blake Dollier, said projects are beginning to finish up, including work over Robinson Road. 'We're about to open that to traffic, to the normal configuration that I-70 is', Dollier said. 'Drivers can expect that will be the normal stretch of roadway that you're used to in that area. The lanes have been paved, we just need to re-stripe that. That work will take place at nighttime because we may have to close some individual lanes.' What used to be a bridge there, is now a tunnel. 'The structure work in that area is also complete', Dollier said. 'You've seen the bridge, probably, in that location, is now a tunnel. That tunnel work has been completed as well. That is something that looks really nice and we're really proud of our crews for getting that work done.' Dollier said construction on the bridge over Sidenbender Road is also nearing completion. 'We've begun pouring walls and we'll begin setting the structure on the Sidenbender Road bridge on I-70 here in the next couple of weeks', Dollier said. 'Traffic is still on the temporary bridge, on the westbound side, near the nine-mile marker. A few months are left on that, as we need to continue doing some work there in the median.' Last week was National Work Zone Awareness Week, promoting safe driving habits around dangerous areas. Dollier said the Indiana Department of Transportation wants to again remind drivers to take caution as road work continues. 'Treat it like it is National Work Zone Awareness Week every single day that you are out on the roadways', Dollier said. 'Use caution, slow down, and avoid distracted driving throughout those construction zones.' 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.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PennDOT, PA Turnpike, construction industry highlight work zone safety
Apr. 26—WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania State Police this week hosted an event urging motorists to slow down and pay attention in work zones. Gov. Josh Shapiro proclaimed April 21-25 "National Work Zone Awareness Week" as part of his administration's mission to provide a safe transportation system for all Pennsylvanians. The theme of this year's observance is — "Respect the zone so we all get home." Many precautions are taken in work zones to keep workers safe, including proper training and routine safety inspections for workers, enhanced signing and information for motorists and the use of positive protective equipment like crash trucks, barriers and rumble strips. Drivers also play a role in keeping workers, themselves and other motorists safe while traveling through work zones. "PennDOT implements many safety measures in our work zones, but we need drivers to work with us to ensure work zones are safe for everyone," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "Make the safe choice to always follow the posted speed limit and never drive distracted, especially in work zones where conditions can change every day." According to PennDOT data, in 2024 there were 1,250 work zone crashes, resulting in 22 fatalities. Some of the most frequent contributing factors in fatal work zone crashes were driving too fast for conditions, careless passing or lane change, and tailgating. "Safety drives everything we do at the Pennsylvania Turnpike — especially during construction projects," said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "While construction may cause a temporary inconvenience for drivers, these improvements bring long-term benefits for all who use our roadway." "Engaging in dangerous driving behaviors can have deadly consequences, so please remember to slow down, stay alert, and drive responsibly," said PSP Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris. "National Work Zone Awareness Week is a powerful reminder that every work zone is occupied by real people — fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors — working hard to keep Pennsylvania moving forward," said Scott L. Rocuskie, president of Construction for New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. Inc., who is also a board member for Associated Pennsylvania Constructors. As part of the event, PennDOT District 8 officials highlighted more than 62 road and bridge projects expected to be bid this year in the eight-county south-central Pennsylvania region, reflecting an estimated investment of $402 million. For information on the 2025 construction season and for a list of notable projects that are expected to begin or continue this year, visit "These construction projects mean improved roads and bridges, but it can also mean hazards for roadway workers," Carroll said. "Please slow down and pay attention. These men and women deserve to get home safely." Department of Aging to increase transparency The Pennsylvania Department of Aging this week delivered on yet another promise to increase public transparency and accountability of the Area Agency on Aging network — which provides a host of services to older Pennsylvanians in their communities. The Department began publicly posting performance results on its website for the first batch of AAAs to be monitored under the agency's new Comprehensive Agency Performance Evaluation, or CAPE — an innovative tool designed to boost transparency and accountability of Pennsylvania's 52 AAAs. This new initiative transforms the Department's prior monitoring approach into a more holistic philosophy, where each AAA is evaluated for different performance metrics during a singular monitoring review. "We're sharing the first results of CAPE, the first major overhaul and upgrade of the Department's monitoring system in decades," said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. "In less than two years, we have developed, tested and launched a system that enables us to monitor AAA performance consistently and accurately — and make those results easily available to the public." Performance evaluations include things like: —Older Adult Protective Services (documentation requirements, data management, administrative oversight, risk mitigation and safety and investigative activities). —OPTIONS, which provides help with tasks of daily living, and the Caregiver Support Program (documentation requirements, data management, administrative oversight, care management, program eligibility and policy and fiscal operations). Multiple performance measures feed into each category score. Results of CAPE will be routinely posted to the Department's website, with clearly defined, simple key categories for each AAA. Last month, the Department of Aging unveiled details of the new monitoring system to the legislature in a public hearing. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging works with a network of 52 AAAs covering Pennsylvania's 67 counties to deliver services to older adults that help them stay healthy, safe and able to continue thriving in their homes of choice as they age. The Department disburses millions of dollars annually to AAAs to fund these services, and one of the Department's most important responsibilities is to monitor the performance of each AAA to make sure they are meeting performance standards. AG Sunday leads bipartisan coalition for veterans, older adults Attorney General Dave Sunday this week co-led a letter to Congress — joined by 39 other Attorneys General — urging to keep in place critical funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which aids vulnerable residents who need civil representation. LSC's network of legal aid organizations assists veterans in securing benefits they are entitled to, enables domestic violence survivors access to safety resources and protects older adults from scams and financial exploitation. LSC services are particularly beneficial to people and families living in rural populations — such as Sullivan, Potter, Forest and Tioga counties — where attorney shortages are more likely to exist. There are 77 legal aid offices in Pennsylvania funded by LSC. "Everyone should have access to legal representation to maintain safe and stable housing, rightful benefits that keep them healthy, and protection against violence and scams," Sunday said. "As a co-leader of this letter, I commend my colleagues who are adamantly telling Congress that the Legal Services Corporation must keep necessary funding to provide these basic rights to under-served communities." The letter is addressed to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the House and Senate Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. LSC operates a network of 130 independent legal aid organizations in over 900 offices in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, assisting millions of Americans in every congressional district with legal needs Attorneys General have a long history of supporting federal funding for LSC. With Congressional leaders debating potential budget cuts, the bipartisan group of attorneys general are joining forces to urge leaders from both parties to prioritize funding for LSC, calling the organization a good steward of taxpayer dollars. The letter also notes the corporation distributes 95% of its funding directly to the legal aid organizations providing services to Americans. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honoring the fallen PennDOT workers of PA.
DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— PennDOT held a solemn ceremony earlier to honor the workers who lost their lives in the line of duty. It comes as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week, a reminder for all of us to slow down and stay alert. The spring season is the beginning of construction season, and with more crews out on the road, PennDOT says the risks go up. Friday's memorial served as a stark reminder that real lives on the line in active work zones. Rows of hard hats and orange vests laid out in solemn silence. Each one representing a name, a face, and a life lost while working to keep Pennsylvania's roadways safe. 'Every time you come to workers memorial day you think of two things, mourn the dead and fight for the living,' stated Bill Cockerill, Scranton Central Labor Union. The annual PennDOT workers memorial service brings together families, unions, and transportation officials to honor the workers who never made it home. 'Since 1970, 91 PennDOT employees have died in the line of duty, there are 91 families that expected their loved one to come home at the end of their work day,' voiced Jonathan Eboli, Chief Executive for Highway Admin., PennDOT. This year's memorial falls during National Work Zone Awareness Week, a campaign with a message that's as urgent as ever. 'In 2024, there were 1,250 crashes in pennsylvania work zones resulting in 22 fatalities and over 500 injuries,' noted Eboli. 'I always tell people just imagine putting your desk right on a middle of a highway and have your head on a swivel all day. And this is what the concerns that our members have,' explained Eric Schubert, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union. As construction season ramps up, the message is clear; slow down, stay alert, and respect the zone. 'Please travel through every work zone as if one of your family members is working there, because they all have family and friends to go home to,' voiced Eboli. Officials say even one distracted driver can change a family forever, that's why they're asking drivers to respect the zone, so every worker makes it home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
