Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
PRINT EDITION & DIGITAL ACCESS to THECHRONICLEONLINE.COM
The Chronicle delivered to your mailbox each week.
Includes Full Digital Access to all of our online content, and our E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street!
This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers.
(The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement)
This subscription will allow current subscribers of The St. Helens Chronicle to access all of our online Subscriber-Only content, including the E Editions area.
NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN
If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please call us at 1-503-397-0116.
The Oregon Department of Transportation reports that an average of five people, including one worker, died and there were 540 injuries from 2015 to 2019 at road work zones in Oregon.
As Oregon enters the busy months for road projects, drivers will see more work zones.
The Oregon Department of Transportation reports that an average of five people, including one worker, died and there were 540 injuries from 2015 to 2019 at road work zones in Oregon.
Courtesy from ODOT
Watching for the color orange is a life-and-death priority for travelers and people doing the vital work on roads, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
“We are very concerned about road crew safety due to the higher traffic speeds we’re seeing across the country,” ODOT Director Kris Strickler said. “And it’s actually drivers and travelers who are injured and killed in work-zone crashes – far more than workers.”
From 2015 through 2019 – the latest complete data – there was an average of 584 total crashes each year in work zones, including:
An average of five people (including one worker) died each year.
An average of 25 people were seriously injured.
A total of 540 injuries, including serious injuries above, each year.
Road crews use a number of technologies including automated flagging devices, mobile barriers and portable message signs to make work zones safer as the state builds a modern transportation system. Those are in addition to the traditional color orange for work zones – signs, cones and the vests road crews wear.
But road crews can’t do it alone, according to ODOT. Drivers must do their part to keep crews, themselves and their passengers safe.
How drivers can help save lives
As Oregon marks National Work Zone Awareness Week April 11-15, ODOT urges drivers to slow down and expect delays whenever you see orange signs, barrels, cones and barricades – in work zones and the transition areas leading to them.
Drivers must use as much caution during hours when a work zone isn’t active because there can be bumps, barriers and narrower lanes during the entire length of a project.
Work-zone crashes are preventable. Drivers must do their part to keep themselves, their passengers and people working on the roads safe:
Pay attention when you see orange signs, barrels, cones and barricades and in the transition zone before the work area. An inattentive driver is the most common cause of work-zone crashes.
Drive as if you work there – slow down, keep your eyes on the road and mind on the drive.
Obey speed signs. Speed limits may be reduced to keep you and workers safe. Excessive speed is a major factor in all fatal crashes.
Work zone traffic lanes often are narrow, without shoulders or emergency lanes.
Move over to give workers more room when possible.
Fines doubles in all Oregon work zones, whether or not workers and signs are present.
Plan ahead. Give yourself enough time for your trip, including potential work-zone delays. You can get current Oregon road conditions at TripCheck.com or by calling 511.
1. Be Civil. No bullying, name calling, or insults.
2. Keep it Clean and Be Nice. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.
3. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not
be tolerated.
4. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or
anything.
5. Be Proactive. Let us know of abusive posts. Multiple reports
will take a comment offline.
6. Stay On Topic. Any comment that is not related to the original
post will be deleted.
7. Abuse of these rules will result in the thread being disabled,
comments denied, and/or user blocked.
8. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
1. Be Civil. No bullying, name calling, or insults.
2. Keep it Clean and Be Nice. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
3. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
4. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
5. Be Proactive. Let us know of abusive posts. Multiple reports will take a comment offline.
6. Stay On Topic. Any comment that is not related to the original post will be deleted.
7. Abuse of these rules will result in the thread being disabled, comments denied, and/or user blocked.
8. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.