Landmarks Shine in Orange to Honor State Highway Workers, Promote Safety
ALBANY—As construction season kicks into high gear statewide, New York State is amping up efforts to urge motorists to be more cautions when driving through work zones. Riding on the campaign of the current National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 21-25), transportation officials here are also pressing the national theme: “Respect the zone so we all get home.”
The New York State Thruway Authority and the New York State Department of Transportation are hosting awareness events such as lighting digital highway signs with safety messages and sharing important safety reminders on social media platforms. In addition, state landmarks will be illuminated in the color orange on April 23 in recognition of “Go Orange Day.”
“Every roadside worker deserves to return home safely at the end of their shift,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “We’re asking all drivers to do their part by reducing speed, eliminating distractions and staying vigilant in work zones so that our hard-working and dedicated roadside workers are safe. A few extra seconds of your time and attention can save a life.”
In 2024, there were more than 156 crashes in Thruway work zones resulting in one fatality and 30 injuries. Distracted driving, following too closely, an unsafe lane change or disregarding traffic warning signs caused the majority of the crashes. In addition, two Thruway Authority employees died and another was seriously injured in separate incidents while working on the New York State Thruway. In its 70-plus year history, 22 Thruway employees have been killed while on the job. In 2024, there were 322 intrusions in New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) work zones. These intrusions resulted in the deaths of two drivers who entered the work zones and 138 additional injuries to highway workers and the traveling public. A total of 58 members of the NYSDOT family have died on the job across New York State, dating as far back as 1939.
This April also marks two years since the launch of the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) pilot program. The pilot program was established by legislation enacted into law by Gov. Hochul in 2021, which authorized a five-year pilot program run as a joint effort by NYSDOT and the Thruway Authority to enhance the state’s ongoing efforts to slow motorists down in work zones and make New York’s highways safer. More than 425,000 Notices of Liability have been issued statewide, with over 38,000 repeat offenders since the AWZSE program began issuing Notices of Liability in May 2023. In locations where the cameras have been present more than once, fewer Notices of Liability are being issued, meaning that people are slowing down when cameras are present.
Published: April 23, 2025