Motorists who stop at the southbound I-35 rest area near Story City today will see a reminder of why you should pay attention when you see orange work zone signs. Mark Bortle from the Iowa Department of Transportation’s construction office explains what motorist will see.
It’s the "Nation Work Zone Memorial" from the American Traffic Safety Services Association which symbolizes the lives of people across the nation that have died in highway work zones.
Bortle says nearly two dozen Iowans are on the list. Bortle says there’s 23 Iowa names out of a total of 1,340 names, and the names include both workers and motorists who have lost their lives in Iowa. Bortle says the warning about work zones takes on even more meaning this summer.
He says they will have about twice as much roadwork this year because of the federal stimulus and state I-Jobs program, which he says will create more chances for people to be injured or killed in work zones. Bortle says the memorial is reminder that not paying attention to a work zone can be fatal for workers and motorists.
Bortle says they recommend that motorist obey and watch work zone signs. He says workers are one to two feet away from vehicles traveling 55 miles-an-hour, and you should watch for them and be courteous.
The Nation Work Zone Memorial will be on display at the I-35 rest area until seven o’clock tonight. It is the first time the memorial has been displayed in Iowa since it was created in 2002.