The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) commemorated National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11 – April 15) by highlighting the importance of protecting highway construction workers.
“Safety is the top priority for our department, and thanks to the historic funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our roads and bridges will be safer for everyone, including the construction crews hard at work repairing and replacing our nation’s infrastructure,” Stephanie Pollack, FHWA deputy federal highway administrator, said. “All of us need to drive safely to make sure that the men and women who fix our roads and bridges can go home safely to their families and loved ones after every work shift.”
The law guarantees $15.6 billion in funding for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and $5 billion for the new Safe Streets and Roads for All program.
The FHWA recommends HSIP funds be used to incorporate a data-driven, holistic, and equitable Safe System Approach to roadway safety to save lives and prevent serious injuries on roads. This approach should build in redundancies so if one element of a transportation system fails, other elements provide protection.
In January, the department announced the National Roadway Safety Strategy, a guide for addressing roadway fatalities and serious injuries.