A long line of orange vests and hard hats bearing the names of those killed on the job was the centerpiece of a ceremony at the New York State Fairgrounds on Tuesday, commemorating Workers Memorial Day. This year, two new memorials joined the display. Vincent Giammarva and Stephen Ebling, two State Thruway Authority employees who were killed in work zone accidents last year.
Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank Hoar said these deaths are frustrating.
“We can train our folks, we can give them all the protective equipment that we possibly can get, Hoar said. “We're using technology to make the work zones safer, but if we don't have the cooperation and the buy-in of the public, then it's all for naught."
Hoar said distracted driving is one of the biggest issues road crews face. The state emphasizes safety for workers, has initiated a number of programs to help, like cameras perched on trucks in construction zones that catch speeding motorists, and more safety technology is coming on board soon.
"We're looking to use sensors and early warning systems and the latest technology can bring us to again to alert our workforce to the men and women that are in the work zone that if there's an erratic or speeding drivers coming that they get some time to try and take action on that and remove themselves from the threat,” said Hoar.
David Smith, Regional Director of the Department of Transportation in Syracuse, said they will continue to work on messaging about the dangers to work zone employees. With the massive Interstate 81 project in high gear, Smith said it's more important now than ever.
“Because we're seeing more work zones and we've seen in a long, long time,” he said. “And as such, we really need people to focus, to slow down, and move over when you can.”
