National Work Zone Memorial returns to Clare Welcome Center
CLARE, Mich. (WNEM) – The Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Clare Welcome Center will host the National Work Zone Memorial over the Fourth of July holiday weekend for a second year in a row.
The special memorial honors more than 1,600 lives of road workers, drivers, pedestrians, law enforcement, public safety officials and children who have been killed in work zone crashes in the United States.
Millions of Michiganders are expected to travel this summer with July 4 being one of the busiest travel periods, according to MDOT.
The American Traffic Safety Services (ATSS) Foundation first unveiled the memorial in 2002. It’s a living tribute, displaying the names of those killed while raising awareness for work zone safety and safe driving habits. The memorial is 20 feet wide and is 7 feet tall.
A new virtual memorial is also available at no extra cost. Costs for hosting the memorial from June 28 to July 10 are sponsored by MDOT and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
MDOT wants to remind drivers to slow down and drive safely, especially during work zones. Work zone safety is a top priority for MDOT. Preliminary numbers show in 2022, Michigan work zones had 16 deaths, 862 injuries, and nearly 4,400 total crashes. Nationwide, the number of work zone fatalities is estimated at more than 950, according to MDOT.
Subscribe to the TV5 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every day
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved.
