Construction Workers Asking Drivers To Pay More Attention During National Work Zone Awareness Week

The Federal Highway Administration has designated the week of April 15th-19th as National Work Zone Awareness Week. The agency said the collapse of the bridge in Baltimore that killed 6 highway construction workers is a reminder that they are unsung heroes.

Construction can be found all over Tulsa, at the I-244 and Highway 169 interchange, Memorial Drive and Highway 169, and I-244 and Highway 11. Even with the large signs and orange cones, drivers still speed on by, often with only a short barrier between them and the workers.

The Federal Highway Administration said roadway construction workers can be among the most vulnerable on the road because they are on foot right next to oncoming traffic.

Ryan Haney, president of local construction company Manhattan Road and Bridge Construction, said cell phones have become one of the biggest hazards.

"We do everything we can to make it as safe as we can, not only for us, not only for our guys but for the public and for all the motorists traveling through. The reality is, it can still be a dangerous situation if everybody isn't paying attention," he said. "If when they're coming through our job sites, they're thinking about their families, you know they'll pay attention a lot more, and that's kind of the big thing."

The Federal Highway Administration asks drivers to slow down and pay attention in work zones, to ensure everybody is safe and gets to return home each night.