According to the CDC, there are more than 750 deaths a year resulting from work zone crashes. From 2003-2017, 1,844 workers lost their lives at road construction sites across the United States, averaging 123 per year. The New York State Department of Transportation alone has lost 56 workers during its existence.
This year, the state constructed a memorial to honor these fallen men and women and unveiled the structure at the 2021 New York State Fair. The memorial, located near the midway entrance and west of the Horticulture Building on the fairgrounds, honors all transportation workers killed while performing their job duties on or near New York's thousands of miles of highways, including State Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority employees, municipal highway workers, contractors, consultants and towing service employees.
"This memorial honors the hardworking New Yorkers who put their personal safety on the line to build our bridges, pave our roads and maintain our infrastructure so the rest of us can reach our destinations safely," Governor Kathy Hochul said at the unveiling ceremony. "This will serve as a lasting tribute to all those who lost their lives while performing their duties, and as a reminder that these dedicated workers are out there every day making our roads and bridges safer. We owe them all a debt of gratitude."
The new memorial includes a centerpiece featuring a bronze sculpture of shovels, hard hats and boots on a platform surrounded by four bronze traffic cones and a dedication plaque. It features paved walkways and seating for respectful reflection. Shrubs and trees have also been planted around the centerpiece and along the outside of the memorial.
"The men and women who keep our roads safe for us to drive on take great risks every day in doing so," New York State Fair Director Troy Waffner said. "We are honored to be able to give this memorial a home where many New Yorkers will see it. I hope everyone who sees it will take a moment to reflect on the needless loss of life behind this memorial and use that memory to help keep our roads and the people who work on them safer."
New York Cracking Down on Work Zone Safety
Over the last few years, the state of New York has been a leader in championing work zone safety through their "Operation Hardhat" initiative. The program is designed to crack down on work zone violations and highlight the importance of safe driving when encountering construction, maintenance and emergency operations along state highways,
New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies are writing tickets in record numbers this year to crack down on motorists who flagrantly disobey vehicle and traffic laws in highway work zones. Last year, 1,770 tickets were issued by State Police during "Operation Hardhat" activities, which surpassed 2019's total by nearly 70 percent. Already this year, troopers have issued 871 tickets in highway work zones on state roadways. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies have written 35 tickets this year under the initiative.
New York Department of Transportation workers are also making it a priority to enhance safety for its workforce. Portable rumble strips that precede work zones and prevent distracted driving are now being utilized in every region of the state for maintenance and contractor project work zones to better protect flaggers and transportation workers. Work zone cameras are also being implemented in DOT maintenance work zones and contractor project work zones across New York to better protect transportation workers.
This year, the Thruway Authority is deploying more than a dozen new trucks throughout its four maintenance divisions across the state featuring enhanced technology focused directly on improving work zone safety. The vehicles include large radar board displays that alert motorists of the work zone speed limit compared to their approach speed, directional arrows, traffic attenuators, and wider reinforced man buckets with swing gates to allow for easier and safer deployment or removal of cones and barrels.
