Roadway Worker Protection Council Chair Doug Dolinar told Roadway Safety magazine it’s time for a “paradigm shift” in how the industry looks at worker safety.

The Council spent the past year laser focused on that issue, producing a Worker Protection Toolkit that provides members aids for that effort. Details on the toolkit are included in the latest issue of Roadway Safety magazine.

Plus, check out the Convention Extra supplement, packed with highlights from this year’s record-breaking Convention & Traffic Expo in Phoenix where roadway safety and innovation intersected.

ATSSA will be on the National Mall alongside others engaged in construction of our nation’s infrastructure May 14-16.

Join thousands on Mother’s Day for the kickoff of the Celebration of Construction on the National Mall.  Bring the kids to see the construction vehicles spread across the area between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument and hear ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner as a panelist for a discussion of job site and roadway safety.

This free event provides an opportunity for individuals, families, government officials and policy makers to see the equipment and technology responsible for the country’s building and transportation sectors. The event also provides a chance to learn about careers in these industries.

The American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), a leading organization in the roadway safety industry, today announced the departure of Nate Smith, Vice President of Engagement.

Effective May 9, Smith will resign his leadership position with ATSSA to join Caterpillar Inc. as a Manager of Government Affairs, focusing on transportation, infrastructure and other related policy issues.

Stacy Tetschner, ATSSA President and CEO, said of Smith, “We are grateful to Nate for his incredible body of work in advancing roadway safety. He has been integral to our government relations and membership endeavors for over 14 years. During his tenure, ATSSA has experienced tremendous success in growing our membership as well as engaging those members in our advocacy efforts, which ultimately led to record funding being passed to advance roadway safety infrastructure. We will miss his contributions and are supportive in his moving to a broader leadership role in the transportation and infrastructure community. Under Nate’s leadership of advocacy efforts, the industry experienced the biggest government investment into roadway safety infrastructure programs in U.S. history.”

ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner today sent a letter to Federal Highway Administration Administrator Shailen P. Bhatt urging the FHWA to publish the updated Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) by the deadline set forth in the U.S. Code.

“On behalf of the American Traffic Safety Services Association’s (ATSSA) 1,500 member companies, I write to urge the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to publish the 11th edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) by the May 15th deadline required under Section 109(d)(2) of title 23, United States Code,” Tetschner wrote in today’s letter.

ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner this week submitted comments to the Federal Register on the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Review of its General Applicability Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Manufactured Products.

“ATSSA strongly urges FHWA to continue the current public interest waiver for manufactured products that do not contain iron or steel,” ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner said in the ATSSA submission. “Especially with the challenge of increasing traffic fatalities in recent years, it is not an appropriate time to potentially hamstring the ability to deploy life-saving devices and countermeasures on U.S. roadways when the [U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)] and state and local agencies are aggressively moving to combat these fatalities.

“If, however, FHWA proposes to alter the current waiver, ATSSA strongly encourages FHWA to continue to exempt transportation products that are incorporated into highway safety improvement projects as defined in 23 U.S.C. 148, regardless of federal program funding source.”

WASHINGTON – House Transportation & Infrastructure Chair Sam Graves commended ATSSA members on Tuesday for investing the time to take their roadway safety insights to Capitol Hill to share with legislators.

“These are very important,” he said of Fly-Ins. “When constituents come talk to members of Congress, it makes a difference.”

Graves (R-MO) was one of four public officials who spoke on the first day of the two-day Legislative Briefing & Fly-In. ATSSA members also heard from Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy.

Carolinas ATSSA Chapter members Ben Capel and Dane Alsabrook, have been making a difference for roadway safety for years by taking their message directly to Capitol Hill legislators during ATSSA’s Legislative Briefing & Fly-In.

Join them in the nation’s capital this year and play a role in advocating for roadway safety through meetings with your senator, representative or a member of their staff.

Alsabrook, with PPG in Greensboro, N.C., said he is sold on the process of delivering the roadway safety message directly to Congressional leaders. And Capel, with Guardway Corp. in Charlotte, said long-term connections are key to gaining influence with lawmakers.

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.