ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner expressed his condolences to the families who lost loved ones in last week’s tragic work zone incident in Baltimore County, Md., in which six people were killed.

“ATSSA is deeply saddened by yet another tragedy that resulted in the loss of essential workers within our industry.  More important than being workers, these individuals had families and loved ones they did not return home to. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of Sybil Lee Dimaggio, Carlos Orlando Villatoro Escobar, Jose Armando Escobar, Rolando Ruiz, Mahlon Simmons II and Mahlon Simmons III.”

The six workers were killed March 22 in Maryland while working to improve a roadway and ensure the safety of all road users. 

“This devastating event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of work zone safety and the risks faced by roadway construction workers every day. It is crucial that the industry and the driving public come together to prevent future tragedies like this one from occurring,” Tetschner said.

Inspired by the death of an Indiana traffic control flagger, Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) this week introduced a resolution to recognize National Work Zone Awareness Week, which takes place April 17-21.

Ben Fisher was struck and killed in 2019 while working for a traffic control company on Indiana State Road 13, according to a statement from Braun’s office. The statement also notes the increase in work zone fatalities nationwide since 2006 and the goal of increasing awareness of the hazards of work zones for drivers, workers and pedestrians, and the value of training.

“Far too many road workers and emergency servicemen are injured and killed each year by automobile drivers. Ensuring the safety of these essential men and women is a no-brainer, and I’m excited to join Sen. Blumenthal to introduce legislation that raises awareness about making America’s roads less hazardous for everyone,” Braun said in announcing the resolution.

ATSSA provided feedback to the Office of Management and Budget on Sunday regarding the proposed rules for Buy America requirements, asking for clarification on four specific issues and noting the importance of roadway safety infrastructure at a time when traffic fatalities are a major issue nationwide.

“ATSSA members are generally in favor of increasing the capacity to procure domestically-sourced construction materials and manufactured products for use on surface transportation projects,” ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner wrote to Deputy Controller Deidre A. Harrison. “However, ATSSA members are deeply concerned with the breadth and scope of the [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking] and the impact it could have on the timely and cost-effective delivery of much-needed roadway safety infrastructure improvements.”

The letter is in response to the NPRM on Guidance for Grants and Agreements – 2 CFR Parts 184 and 200 (Docket No. 2023-02617), which was published Feb. 9. The letter notes that ATSSA members manufacture, distribute and install roadway safety infrastructure devices such as guardrail and cable barrier, traffic signs and signals, pavement markings, work zone safety devices.

“It is important that any new Buy America requirements not have the unintended consequence of hindering the delivery of important roadway construction and roadway safety projects across the country,” Tetschner wrote.

ATSSA launches its Traffic Sign Technician (TST) training course this spring after investing years in development.

This course prepares public and private sector employees responsible for the installation, location and determination of appropriate roadway signing. It addresses the fundamentals of traffic signing and the role of the sign technician and covers several parts of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), temporary traffic control for short-duration activities and basic sign installation techniques.

ATSSA Master Instructor Bill Birdwell spent time with the ATSSA Sign Committee in creating the course to be sure it met everyone’s standards, said ATSSA Training Program Manager Jessica Scheyder.

Thousands of roadway safety advocates filled the Phoenix Convention Center this week for ATSSA’s 53^rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, exploring the latest technology and equipment for protecting lives within work zones and on the nation’s roadways.

A record-setting number of people registered, with more than 3,700 for this year's event.

With nearly 50 education sessions to choose from, they gained both practical tips—such as how to negotiate contracts to limit liability—and enhanced their understanding of critical workplace safety and technology issues such as advances in communication between work zones and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).

Keynote speaker Scott Wozniak, an organizational leadership expert from Atlanta, addressed a key workforce issue on Sunday when he offered insights for building a successful team by focusing on the essential element of employee engagement.

Check out some of the highlights of this week's event.