 At events in Chicago, Champaign, Metro East and Rock Island, the
Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and
the Illinois Tollway have reminded drivers to slow down and be alert
in work zones. Work zone safety advocates will conduct outreach
activities at rest areas across the state on Friday as part of the
10th anniversary of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs
April 6-10.
"Thanks to strict enforcement by ISP and cooperation from the
public, we have made steady progress in protecting people in work
zones," Hannig said. "Our goal is to protect the lives of the many
dedicated workers who are improving our roadways, as well as drivers
and passengers traveling through work zones."
Following an alarming spike in work zone fatalities in 2003, the
state of Illinois convened a Work Zone Safety Task Force, which
recommended a number of steps to reduce work zone crashes and
improve highway work zone safety. Recommendations included photo
enforcement of speed limits within work zones and stiffer penalties
for speeding in a work zone. From a high of 44 work zone fatalities,
including five workers, in 2003, the state recorded 38 work zone
fatalities, including two workers, in 2004; 25, including one
worker, in 2005; 29, including one worker, in 2006; and 21,
including two workers, in 2007. Under the toughened work zone
speeding fines that took effect in 2004, first-time offenders face a
$375 fine; second-time offenders face a $1,000 fine and the loss of
their driver's license for 90 days.
"The Illinois State Police is committed to ensuring the safety of
workers and motorists during the upcoming construction season," said
Jonathon E. Monken, acting director of the agency. "Troopers will be
strictly enforcing work zone speed limits and the "move over" law,
which requires motorists to slow down and, if possible, change lanes
when approaching police, emergency or construction vehicles
displaying flashing warning lights. We will continue to utilize
tools, such as the Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau and photo
enforcement, to help reduce injuries and fatalities on our
roadways."
"When you see a work zone, slow down and drive with caution,"
said John Penn, vice president and regional manager of the Laborers'
International Union of North America. "The men and women working in
construction zones have families to go home to, and we want to urge
everyone to drive through work zones as if one of these workers were
members of your family."
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"Enforcement efforts by the ISP have played a critical role in
keeping workers and motorists safe during the massive roadway
rebuilding and widening projects under way across the 286-mile
Illinois Tollway system," said Michael T. King, acting executive
director of the system. "By the end of this construction season, the
Illinois Tollway will have completed more than 80 percent of the
$6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program improvements. We thank
drivers for slowing down and paying attention in work zones over the
past four years and ask for their patience and cooperation again
this year."
In Illinois, there are, on average, more than 7,000 crashes in
highway work zones every year, resulting in approximately 2,600
injuries.
Photo speed enforcement vans operated by state police troopers
were deployed for the first time in the 2006 construction season.
Four vans will be active this construction season at various
locations throughout the state. Troopers have issued over 7,200
citations since implementation of the program.
The marked white photo speed enforcement vans are equipped with
the latest in photo radar technology, designed to record the speed
of vehicles and capture clear images of the driver and the license
plate. Tickets are sent by certified mail to drivers within 14
business days, and court appearance is mandatory.
The vans are staffed by specially trained state police troopers
and are used in work zones where workers are present. Signs will be
placed in project locations where photo speed enforcement will be
occurring.
These vans are an additional state-of-the-art enforcement tool
that helps reduce fatalities in work zones. Motorists, as well as
workers, are at risk when driving in work zones, due to
configurations that can include narrower lanes, lane shifts,
pavement edge drop-offs, closed shoulders and lane closures. Driving
at slower speeds allows motorists more time to react to changed
conditions.
For more information on the work zone safety week, visit
http://www.dot.il.gov/
safetyEng/wzawarenessweek.html.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Transportation
file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
