Safety Is Job One, and You Can Count on Enforcement

Eleven fatalities occurred between 1984 and 1996 on the large construction project on Route 22 in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania DOT will use several strategies to make this construction zone safer, including a new traffic safety system. Police will also patrol the zone during days when traffic is reduced to one lane and strictly enforce the compliance of drivers with traffic laws. PennDOT will also use the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to inform drivers of conditions. Other safety concerns are driver inattentiveness, road rage, driver intoxication, and the great amount of work that will have to be done at night to complete this project. Alarms that signal when a car passes between barrels or inside barriers will be used to lessen the danger posed by drunk drivers and drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. In light of all these accommodations for drivers, it is hoped that drivers will do their part by respecting the workers and rules of the work zone.