Batesville, In. — With winter coming to a close, road construction projects will increase. Let’s be diligent and focused on the road, especially in work zones. Follow these tips from the Indiana Department of Transportation to keep yourself and others out of harm’s way.
It is easy to get carried away behind the wheel. Drivers in work zones must pay attention and expect changes without notice. Unsafe lane movement, driver inattention and speeding are leading causes of collisions. Pay attention to the construction signage and never drive aggressively. Don’t text or tailgate in a work zone. Driving 45 mph instead of 55 mph through a five-mile work zone will only add 1.2 minutes to your trip. The safety of other drivers and construction workers is more important than those extra minutes.
To help drivers, INDOT provides tools for navigating work zones. Timely, accurate and relevant work zone information can be found at www.in.gov/indot. The INDOT TrafficWise webpage provides information about traffic conditions, road closures, travel times, as well as images from traffic cameras. The INDOT CARS 511 webpage shows road conditions and closures. These resources can be found on INDOT’s website under the “travel conditions” tab and clicking “travel information.” INDOT also has a mobile app available on Google Play and the Apple App Store to help motorists with their commute.
While road construction can be frustrating and cause delays, our roads need repairs and updates. Last year, we passed a fully funded 20-year plan to improve our roads. An additional $357 million in state and $260 million in local road funding was available this year. These amounts will continue to increase year-over-year to eventually reach a combined $1.2 billion in additional road funding by 2024.
Coming across a work zone in the coming months is almost inevitable. When driving in construction zones, remember to use common sense and your patience. Work zone safety depends on everyone. Please contact me with any questions or input at [email protected] or 317-234-3827.
