Host the National Work Zone Memorial to honor roadway workers

Host the National Work Zone Memorial to honor roadway workers

Recent worker deaths demonstrate risks of roadway work

The recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge where workers were filling potholes drives home the risk roadway workers face every day as they seek to provide safe roads for motorists.

Sadly, six workers were killed when a portion of the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship about 1:30 a.m. on March 26.

Unfortunately, roadway workers are killed across the country every year as they go about serving the motoring public.

This year, the ATSS Foundation added 17 names to the National Work Zone Memorial to honor men and women killed in work zone incidents. They were also remembered during ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo where a video was played to commemorate their lives.

Tragic news helps raise awareness of the risks of roadway work as does the annual observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW), which this year takes place April 15-19 and has the motto: Work zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.

The National Work Zone Memorial will be displayed at the national kickoff event for NWZAW on April 16. The kickoff will be held in the Baltimore area overlooking the scene where six workers were killed in March 2023 when two speeding vehicles penetrated a highway work zone along Interstate 695.

The Memorial contains the names of more than 1,600 men and women and is available for display at other events for anyone interested in increasing awareness of roadway safety. ATSSA members, ATSSA chapters, state departments of transportation and others are welcome to host the Memorial at their event or fallen worker ceremony.

The traditional Memorial can be requested by completing a host application. Groups can also raise awareness by showing a 30-minute virtual Memorial by completing a separate application form.

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the need for motorists to be alert as they approach roadway work zones not only to protect roadway workers but also to protect themselves and their passengers,” said ATSS Foundation Director Lori Diaz. “Every life matters and we won’t be satisfied until no workers are killed while doing their job on the nation’s highways.”

In 2023, the National Work Zone Memorial was displayed at 13 locations across the country, reaching more than 13,850 people. The virtual Memorial was displayed at 31 events, reaching more than 15,640 people.

This year, ATSSA, in partnership with the Foundation, agreed to cover the hosting fee for up to five public agencies to host the traveling National Work Zone Memorial. The agencies must be holding a media event in 2024 and not have previously hosted the Memorial.

“I welcome everyone who wants to partner with us to raise awareness to contact us to display the Memorial at their event,” Diaz said. “Together, I believe we can make a difference.”