Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul is promoting work zone safety by urging all drivers to slow down, stay alert and follow New York State’s Move Over Law to protect roadside workers and other motorists. As construction season kicks into high gear statewide, these efforts highlight National Work Zone Awareness Week — which is celebrated from April 21-25, 2025 — and the national theme: “Respect the zone so we all get home.”

“Every roadside worker deserves to return home safely at the end of their shift,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re asking all drivers to do their part by reducing speed, eliminating distractions and staying vigilant in work zones so that our hard-working and dedicated roadside workers are safe. A few extra seconds of your time and attention can save a life.”

In 2024, there were more than 156 crashes in Thruway work zones resulting in one fatality and 30 injuries. Distracted driving, following too closely, an unsafe lane change or disregarding traffic warning signs caused the majority of the crashes. In addition, two Thruway Authority employees died and another was seriously injured in separate incidents while working on the New York State Thruway. In its 70-plus year history, 22 Thruway employees have been killed while on the job.

In 2024, there were 322 intrusions in New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) work zones. These intrusions resulted in the deaths of two drivers who entered the work zones and 138 additional injuries to highway workers and the traveling public. A total of 58 members of the NYSDOT family have died on the job across New York State, dating as far back as 1939.

Throughout National Work Zone Awareness Week, the New York State Thruway Authority and NYSDOT will be hosting awareness events, lighting digital highway signs with safety messages and sharing important safety reminders on social media platforms. In addition — at the direction of Governor Hochul — State landmarks will be illuminated in orange on Wednesday, April 23 in recognition of Go Orange Day. Drivers are encouraged to:

• Slow down when approaching work zones.
• Move over for all stopped vehicles including roadside workers, emergency responders and disabled vehicles.
• Stay off phones and avoid other distractions while driving.
• Follow posted signs and flagger instructions.

This April also marks two years since the launch of the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) pilot program. The pilot program was established by legislation enacted into law by Governor Hochul in 2021 which authorized a five-year pilot program run as a joint effort by NYSDOT and the Thruway Authority to enhance the State’s ongoing efforts to slow motorists down in work zones and make New York’s highways safer.

More than 425,000 Notices of Liability have been issued statewide, with over 38,000 repeat offenders since the AWZSE program began issuing Notices of Liability in May 2023. In locations where the cameras have been present more than once, fewer Notices of Liability are being issued, meaning that people are slowing down when cameras are present.

Fines through the pilot program are issued as follows:

• First Notice of Liability: $50 fine
• Second Notice of Liability: $75 fine if within an 18-month period of first violation
• Third and Subsequent Notices of Liability: $100 fine if within an 18-month period of first violation

To further protect the workers who build and maintain roads and bridges, Governor Hochul proposed making the AWZSE pilot program permanent and increasing penalties for repeat violators in her Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget, in addition to expanding the program to include Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels and New York State Bridge Authority properties. Additionally, the Governor suggested enhancing penalties for assaults against transportation workers, extending protections similar to those provided to many MTA and retail workers. These actions will improve safety for both workers and drivers.

Beginning with National Work Zone Awareness Week and continuing through the construction season, the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will once again be conducting “Operation Hardhat” details to enforce vehicle and traffic laws in highway work zones. Under “Operation Hardhat,” State Troopers or local police officers are dressed as highway maintenance workers in active NYSDOT or Thruway work zones across New York, identifying and citing motorists for several violations, including disobeying flagging personnel, speeding through work zones, cell phone and seatbelt use, and/or violations of the State’s Move Over law. Last year 2,755 tickets were issued by State Police and participating law enforcement agencies during 62 deployments across the State.

The New York State Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority have produced new videos encouraging motorists to move over in work zones. See the NYSDOT video here and Thruway Authority video here.

To celebrate “Go Orange Day” and to commemorate National Work Zone Awareness Week, the following New York State landmarks will be lit orange on Wednesday, April 23:

• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Empire State Plaza
• State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
• Niagara Falls
• The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
• Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
• Moynihan Train Hall

The New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) is observing Work Zone Awareness Week by conducting a “road show” at each of its five vehicular spans. Each day will consist of a meeting with staff, followed by a meeting with local stakeholders and first responders to discuss safety concerns, explore opportunities for collaboration, and share information about NYSBA’s upcoming construction season. Additionally, the necklace lights on the Mid-Hudson Bridge will be illuminated in orange in honor of “Go Orange Day” to promote work zone safety.

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “Each day, roadside workers risk their lives to enhance the safety of the roads we all rely on. It’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure they can perform their jobs safely and return to their families after their shifts. Drivers need to remain alert and reduce their speed in work zones. Let’s show our appreciation for the dedicated men and women who keep our roads operating safely.”

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Our dedicated highway maintenance and construction workers routinely work in hazardous conditions so that the rest of us can get where we need to go, safely. They have families, friends and loved ones who love them and depend on them. We owe them all a debt of gratitude and paying back that debt begins with keeping them safe. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s continuing efforts to protect our workers so remember, every driver has a role to play — during National Work Zone Awareness Week and throughout the year – that is why I urge all motorists to put down your phones, slow down, and pay attention, especially in work zones. Lives are at stake.”

New York State Bridge Authority Executive Director Dr. Minosca Alcantara said, “This week serves as an important reminder that work zone safety is a shared responsibility for everyone who travels on our state’s roadways. In recognition of this, the Bridge Authority is bringing together staff and local leaders at each of our five vehicular bridges to reinforce our partnerships and collective commitment to protecting employees working in construction zones. By remaining vigilant and looking out for our work crews, we help ensure that our staff return home safely to their loved ones—and that all travelers experience a safer journey.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Highway workers, law enforcement officers and other emergency responders, work in a dangerous environment and risk their lives to keep the traveling public safe. They should be able to do their jobs without fear of harm and go home to their families at the end of each workday. It is important that motorists are aware of their responsibility to slow down, move over and put electronic devices away.”

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “As someone who spends a lot of time on the road driving across New York, I cannot understate my appreciation for the men and women who work to maintain the safety of those roads. We must all mind the rules of the road, and especially the rules of the work zone, to ensure that everyone on both sides of the cones and barricades are safe at all times.”

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “This National Work Zone Awareness Week is a reminder for drivers to slow down, drive safely, and obey the rules of the road. Our highway employees work hard every day to improve our roads and get drivers where they need to go, and it’s only right that we work to keep them safe while on the job. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul, the Thruway Authority and NYSDOT for their continued partnership to keep all New Yorkers safe on the road.”

Assemblymember William B. Magnarelli said, “Work Zone safety continues to be a priority for me as Chair of the Transportation Committee. In 2021, I was proud to sponsor and get passed into law legislation creating a pilot program for the use of speed cameras in work zones. There is no excuse for speeding and reckless driving in work zones. Our workers deserve a safe working environment and to safely go home to their families at the end of their shifts.”

Associated General Contractors of New York State President and CEO Mike Elmendorf said, “Work zone safety isn’t just a one-week concern—it’s a year-round priority. As construction season ramps up, we urge all drivers: stay alert, slow down, and move over in work zones. Every day, highway workers and flaggers face serious risks from speeding and distracted drivers. That’s why New York’s work zone speed camera program is critical — it saves lives and must be made permanent and expanded. The recent rise in assaults on transportation workers makes it even more urgent to strengthen legal protections for those building and maintaining our infrastructure. AGC NYS is proud to partner with Governor Hochul and NYSDOT to create safer roads for workers and drivers alike. We applaud the Governor’s Executive Budget proposals to make the speed camera program permanent and close legal loopholes that leave workers vulnerable. Now, the Legislature must act to protect the men and women who keep New York moving.”

New York State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Mario Cliento said, “In just a few days, we will mark Workers Memorial Day to honor those who lost their lives on the job. As leaders move closer to finalizing the state budget, we have a unique opportunity to improve worker safety with new work zone protections and traffic laws. No worker should fear for their life while performing their job, and no family should have to grieve the loss of a loved one due to preventable and entirely avoidable roadway incidents. We thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing worker safety, and we look forward to working with her on protecting the workforce that keeps our roads safe.”

New York State Building and Construction Trades Council President Gary LaBarbera said, “Construction sites are inherently dangerous and the added hazards and less-controllable variants of roadways and high speed traffic only increase the risks for worksites on our highways. This is why we must continue to encourage drivers to proceed with more caution and mindfulness around roadway work zones. We applaud Governor Hochul for her ongoing leadership and action on this important issue. Every hard-working New Yorker, including our brave tradesmen and tradeswomen working on our roadways, deserve to return home safely to their families at the end of each shift.”

Laborers’ International Union of North America Vice President and New England Regional Manager Donato A. Bianco, Jr. said, “National Work Zone Awareness Week serves as an important reminder to everyone traveling our highways to slow down, stay alert and respect the men and women who perform this necessary and inherently dangerous work. Every day, LIUNA members build, repair and maintain the roads we drive to our jobs and back home to our families. It is because of these workers that our commutes are safer and more efficient. We all owe it to them to prioritize their safety and ensure they also return home to their loved ones at the end of their workday.”

New York State Laborers Health and Safety Trust Fund Executive Director Frank Marchese, Jr. said, “National Work Zone Awareness Week is an important initiative that calls attention to the perils of road construction, and why driver attentiveness is imperative all year round. The data shows that prioritizing work zone safety legislation and initiatives creates a far less hazardous environment for workers simply doing their jobs by reducing speeding and distracted driving. Our union calls on everyone to do their part to keep workers safe, and show support for those who keep New York State moving forward.”

New York State Conference of Operating Engineers President Thomas A. Callahan said, “Our members work hard building and repairing New York’s roads and bridges. That dangerous work becomes deadly with reckless and careless drivers. That’s why we urge the Legislature and the Governor to pass a budget that includes speed cameras in work zones legislation in addition to other safety measures.”

Civil Service Employees Association Thruway Local 058 President Sean Kennedy said, “CSEA affirms our commitment to making sure all of our members make it home at the end of the work day. Drivers need to do their part too.”

Civil Service Employees Association President Mary E. Sullivan said, “Our union joins Governor Hochul, the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Thruway Authority in observing National Work Zone Awareness Week from April 21 to April 25. As road work season begins, we want to once again highlight the importance of safe driving in highway work zones. This year, we observe this week remembering our union brother Stephen Ebling, who lost his life while working in a Thruway work zone. As motorists, we must always use caution while in work zones; respect the zone so we can all get home.”

New York State Public Employees Federation President Wayne Spence said, “The 54,000 members of the New York State Public Employees Federation, especially the hardworking professionals at the NYS Department of Transportation, urge all New Yorkers to stay aware, on task and use caution when driving through highway work zones. As we enter National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 21-25, 2025, all New Yorkers should all be mindful that our highway workers have families that need them. In 2024 alone, there were more than 156 crashes in Thruway work zones resulting in one fatality and 30 injuries. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these accidents were entirely preventable if the drivers had focused on operating their vehicles and maintained appropriate work zone speeds — distracted driving and operator error were responsible for the vast majority of these crashes. PEF urges all motorists to pay attention and respect our highway work zones so all these dedicated workers can get home safely to their families.”

Teamsters Local 456 President and Principal Officer Louis A. Picani said, “National Work Zone Awareness Week is a crucial time to reflect on the safety of our workers and the public. One of Teamsters Local 456’s objectives is to maintain the safety and well-being of our members. We support our partners in state government in enforcing stringent safety measures to protect those who build and maintain our roads. Local 456 not only represents the New York State Thruway workers, whose lives are in danger every day, but also the construction workers who are out fixing and maintaining roadways for those who travel them every day. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Governor Hochul for her unwavering support and commitment to enhancing work zone safety. Together, we can ensure that every work zone is a safe zone.”

Safety is a shared responsibility. By working together, we can reduce accidents and ensure safer roads for workers and drivers alike.

For more information on National Work Zone Awareness Week and how to stay safe while driving through work zones, visit the state’s comprehensive website at ny.gov/workzone.

MIL OSI USA News –