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Road Construction Season Begins; IDOT Encourages Safety
It's road construction season again in Illinois. That means the Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation are trying to get out the message of work zone safety.

Trooper Christy Pullen says the lower speed limits posted in work zones are in effect the whole time the sign is up, and that includes nights and weekends, even if construction workers aren't there. She says lane reductions often come up fast on people who are speeding or not paying attention, leading to accidents.

IDOT traffic safety director Mike Stout says motorists should be aware that more construction projects are coming up, because of federal stimulus dollars and the state's new mini-capital plan that will pay for road repairs. He also says more projects are putting construction workers in work zones at night, because of less traffic and better lighting technology.

In 2003, 44 people were killed in work zones. That number dropped to 31 in 2008, and officials think awareness is the reason for the lower number. An average 7,000 crashes are reported in Illinois highway work zones each year, and 2,600 of those accidents result in injuries.

(Illinois Radio Network)
04 10 09 by Newsroom
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