This week marks National Work Zone Awareness week. The South Dakota Department of Transportation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Associated General Contractors of South Dakota held a press conference in Sioux Falls Wednesday asking for more driver awareness this construction season.
Craig Smith is the Director of Operations for South Dakota DOT. He said there are over 35,000 vehicles that pass the 41st Street interchange construction daily, making the danger for workers all too real.
“Nationally there is typically around 800 fatalities in work zones. In South Dakota we’ve seen at least two to three fatalities a year for the last ten years. So South Dakota is not immune to the hazards, and unfortunately, the fatalities within our work zones,” said Smith.
To combat construction worker fatalities the message was made clear: slow down, pay attention, and have patience.
Colonel Rick Miller is a Highway Patrol State Trooper. He said drivers should treat construction zones as if a patrol car is sitting at each one.
“That’s the effect we want everyone to have in a construction zone. Look at the speed limit signs, look at what your doing, make sure you have a good following distance and that your not distracted," said Miller. "Prepare for that construction zone because as the signs behind me say, there’s people in that area working and it is very important to be cognizant of that and we want everyone to go home at the end of the day.”
Drivers should also be aware construction workers get so used to the daily noise that surrounds them, they begin to block it out.
Jared Gusso is the Vice President of SFC Civil Construction, which oversees the building of the 41st street diverging diamond interchange.
“From a worker perspective, on this project were going to have probably 20 skill trades up there working, and the background noise, the noise you hear, the traffic noise, the honking, the tire hum, it all becomes white noise to us. It's just background noise. It's another day at the office. We talk with our guys, don’t be complacent, be careful, keep your head on a swivel, watch traffic,” said Gusso.
Officials said drivers should keep in mind reduced speed zones and stay aware of construction-based traffic changes.
