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.

Yes, there was a big event in Phoenix yesterday but could those guys tackle roadway safety solutions?

Could their front line mount an effective defense against work zone incursions? Could their offensive coordinators come up with a plan to integrate pavement markings and connected vehicle technology?

No, but roadway safety fans can find strategies for those issues and many more in Phoenix Feb. 17-21 at ATSSA’s biggest event of the year – the 53^rd Annual Convention & Traffic Expo.

Attendees will score big through interactions with industry experts, networking opportunities, nearly 50 education sessions and by exploring the 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall (more than triple the size of the gridiron) where new and powerful lifesaving devices will be displayed.

Registration is still open for the Convention & Traffic Expo where roadway safety and innovation intersect so get your name on the roster before it’s too late.

With nearly 50 options to choose from, ATSSA’s 2023 Convention & Traffic Expo offers tremendous opportunities to learn from roadway safety industry experts through formal education sessions, 30-minute “micro sessions” or traffic talks led by ATSSA staff.

Topics span nine categories: business, guardrail, signs, safety and public awareness, roadway worker protection, traffic signals, temporary traffic control, connected and automated vehicles (CAV) and innovation, and pavement markings and high friction surface treatment (HFST).

“We recognize the importance of pulling together subject matter experts to advance roadway safety and our Annual Convention & Traffic Expo is the perfect place to showcase the skills, insights and innovations our members and others have to address issues facing the industry,” said ATSSA Vice President of Education & Technical Services Donna Clark. “These sessions are designed to spur conversations, share ideas and lead to solutions for real-world problems.”

Finding and keeping talented people is more critical than ever and is increasingly important for gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Scott Wozniak, who has advised companies of all sizes across six continents and spent eight years at Chick-fil-A headquarters designing leadership development programs, will address that workforce issue as keynote speaker during the Feb. 19 general session of ATSSA’s 2023 Convention & Traffic Expo in Phoenix.

In his message, “Great Brands Have Great Employees – The Engine Behind Legendary Companies,” Wozniak will explain how to build an “employee engagement engine,” including providing five systems to attract and empower great people.