From the Director Service Awards Everyday Heroes on the Congratulations to these dedicated individuals for their work and con- Work Zone Front Lines tinued service with the Department of Roads. They celebrate their By John L. Craig service dates in April and May. Director, Nebraska Department of Roads In recent for potential work-zone hazards, 40 Years months, we most of these senseless accidents Dennis Baehr, District 2 have focused can be avoided. on our nation’s Those who work on the roadways– 30 Years everyday our contractors, maintenance crews, Herbert Fultz, Materials & Research heroes — project managers, surveyors and James Hertzel, Right-of-Way mentally inspectors–receive ongoing training Gene Thomsen, Roadway Design tough, highly to do their jobs well, with safety as Jose Vergil, District 5 trained, and John L. Craig the top priority. Our recent initiative ready to meet to certify department and contractor 20 Years challenges head-on, without hesi- traffic control personnel is an David Bailey, District 1 tation. Here at the Department of example of this. NDOR worker Roads, I’ve witnessed our highway David Jochim, Materials & Research deaths and injuries in work zones construction and maintenance Ricky Jones, District 4 have remained low, with three workers performing the demanding Robert Kindschuh, District 3 injuries and no deaths last year. and dangerous duties required of Cheryl Pfeiffer, Communication But we must always be vigilant and them. Their lives are on the line, Tom Vogt, District 5 alert, paying attention to constantly each and every day; yet many changing surroundings and 10 Years motorists drive dangerously close to them in work zones, often at high circumstances. Sharon Brandt, District 1 speeds, often oblivious to these Work Zone Research Scott Henery, District 3 guardians of the road. Not only are Monty Koch, District 3 This year, in conjunction with Mark Kovar, District 8 the workers’ lives at risk, but the National Work Zone Awareness James Moreau, District 6 motorists’ lives as well. Week, the Department of Roads Mark Rogers, District 1 National Work Zone Awareness planned a State Work Zone Safety Lynden VanderVeen, Bridge Week, April 8-12, is the perfect time Summit. During this meeting, we Amy Wattier, District 3 for motorists and highway con- will examine the latest research on struction and maintenance workers construction work zones, review alike, to pause and consider extra work zone safety issues, discuss precautions needed to ensure safety possible solutions and create an in our highway work zones. As action plan to address these issues. another busy construction season is This is an excellent opportunity to getting under way in Nebraska, with the bring our thoughts to the table, more than 300 projects planned, Roadrunner added patience and caution are generate constructive feedback and Published every two months by the Nebraska imperative when driving in work improve highway work-zone safety Department of Roads Communication Division for workers and the driving public (402)479-4512. zones. There is no margin for error. in Nebraska. Governor ...........................................Mike Johanns Nebraska has bucked the national Roads Director...................................John L. Craig trend regarding work-zone fatalities, Driving is inherently dangerous. Communication Manager .........................M. J. Hall with 8 deaths reported in 2000, As we work, with our many Editor ............................................Linda M. Wilson Photographer...........................................Jay Bailey compared to 12 deaths in 1999. But partners, to promote safety and Graphics...........................................Diane German that is still 8 deaths too many. reliability through work zones, our Jan Havranek, Jim Pester Over and over again, we hear that goal remains constant: to improve Printers ................Dale Dreeszen, Craig Harrington the main cause of most work-zone safety for motorists and highway printed on recycled paper The information presented in this newsletter is crashes is improper driving. By workers. By working together to contributed by employees, retirees and friends of NDOR. slowing down, heeding the posted save lives, we can all be everyday warning signs and remaining alert heroes.◆ 2 Roadrunner ◆ April/May 2002 Drivers’ Best Strategy for Increased Highway Work Zones: Safety Tips to Live By ➢ Stay alert. Dedicate your full attention to the roadway. Slow Down, Stay Alert ➢ Pay close attention. Signs and work zone flaggers save The 2002 construction season is accidents. Of these incidents, 318 lives. underway in Nebraska. With more were rear-end collisions. ➢ Turn on your headlights. than 300 state highway construction The key reason for most work-zone Workers and other motorists projectsT planned, there is an crashes continues to be drivers’ must see you. increased potential for traffic failure to pay attention, according to ➢ Don’t tailgate. congestion and safety hazards. While law enforcement officers’ reports. ➢ Don’t speed. Note the the dilemma is real, the solution is More than half of the drivers posted speed limits in and simple: by slowing down when involved in construction zone around the work zone. approaching highway work zones fatalities contributed to the accidents ➢ Keep with the traffic flow. and staying alert, the risk for by speeding, running off the road or ➢ Don’t change lanes in the accidents and injuries can be crossing into the wrong lane. Eighty- work zone. reduced or prevented. five to 90 percent of the accidents ➢ Minimize distractions. More than 1,000 people were killed occurred on straight and level Avoid changing radio stations nationwide in construction work sections of roadway. and using mobile phones zones in 2000, the deadliest year on More motorists are injured in while driving in the work record. Eight of those deaths were in work-zone accidents than highway zone. ➢ Nebraska. Sixty-three fatal accidents workers. Therefore, drivers need to Expect the unexpected. were recorded in Nebraska work stay alert when driving near Keep an eye out for workers zones from 1996 through 2000, more highway construction sites any time and their equipment. ➢ than double the national average for of day. Drivers should observe lower Be patient. Remember the the five-year period. At least nine of speed limits, heed posted warning work zone crew members are Nebraska’s fatal crashes over the past signs and be alert for potential work- working to improve your future ride. five years occurred in Interstate 80 zone hazards. work zones. Roads Department and contractors’ A total of 765 work-zone-related employees are at risk when working incidents were reported in Nebraska near moving traffic. Since 1991, workers and injured 24. The Roads in 2000, resulting in 292 injury highway work-zone crashes claimed Department wants to ensure the accidents and 465 property damage the lives of two Department of Roads safety of its employees, contractor’s personnel and motorists by increasing awareness of potential safety hazards. When You’re in the It is important to remember that highway work zones are much Driver’s Seat— Road more than an inconvenience. Work Work zones are essential to building safer, Ahead smoother roads that will ultimately You Make save lives. Remember— when you’re in the driver’s seat, you the Difference! make the difference. Drive safely in work zones. ◆ Drive Smart in Work Zones Roadrunner ◆ April/May 2002 3 This view of the four-lane U.S. 275 Expressway is from the Ida Street bridge looking towards Fremont at the Highway 64 interchange. Newly Completed U.S. 275 Expressway Ready for Travelers A heavily-traveled segment lanes, the median shoulder, and part old Hwy. 275 and the Union Pacific of U.S. Highway 275 between of the right shoulder paved as a Railroad tracks. One viaduct is part Omaha and Fremont has thirty-foot wide section. The extra of Hwy. 64 west of Valley, and the width provides a stronger and more other is east of Valley and connects been opened to traffic. durable pavement. commercial, industrial and residential The project realigned Hwy. 275. areas to the expressway. All grading Work on this portion of the express- The old highway will be turned over on this project is south of the railroad way, which runs from just south to Douglas County. Nebraska Hwy. tracks. The unseasonably warm of Fremont to just northwest of 36 and several county roads were weather this winter allowed work to Waterloo, began in August 1998. also realigned to meet the new proceed, and the project is ahead of The project was completed in three expressway alignment, as was the schedule at this time. segments. intersection of Nebraska Hwy. 64 Hawkins Construction Company The first segment consisted mainly with Hwy. 275. of Omaha was the prime contractor of grading on a new location and This was the biggest single paving for all three projects at a total construction of six viaducts at key project that the state had let to this construction cost of $36,037,814. locations. Work was also done on point. The project received the 2001 Kirkham Michael of Omaha was the some slab bridges and drainage Award of Merit Concrete Pavement project designer. John Baker was the structures. The roadway required Construction in the category of NDOR Consultant Coordinator, and 1,614,182 cubic meters of Interstate Highways and Expressways Frank Veverka, of Fremont, was the embankment. from the Nebraska Concrete Paving NDOR Project Manager. Other The second phase of the project Association. NDOR inspectors on this project began May 30, 2000. Plans called for The third phase of this project were Mike Larsen, Kevin Burris, 363,350 square meters of paving. began last November and is due to be Brian Becker, Kathy Hansen, Jerry The project was one of the first in opened to traffic this fall. This phase Cherek, and Gary Holeman, all of Nebraska to be built with the travel consists of building two viaducts over District 2.◆ 4 Roadrunner ◆ April/May 2002 Paving Awards Presented in Kearney Several NDOR project managers on the US-275 project, Waterloo Manager Joe Applegate of the were honored with awards for both Northeast.