Press Release - Monday, April 17, 2023
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Illinois goes orange for work zones
SPRINGFIELD - Bridges and buildings throughout the state are once again turning orange for National Work Zone Awareness Week to honor those who have died in work zones as another construction season gets underway in Illinois. To coincide with the national campaign held each spring, Gov. JB Pritzker has proclaimed April 17-21 as "Work Zone Safety Awareness Week" in Illinois.
"The color orange has come to symbolize that everyone, from the workers in the field on down to the traveling public, can play a role in eliminating work zone crashes and fatalities," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "We deeply appreciate and give thanks to all of our partners who share our goal to make this the safest construction season ever in Illinois."
Among the participants that will be turning their lights orange at night:
- BOMA/Chicago, as part of its Illuminate Chicago program. The organization represents more than 200 buildings in downtown Chicago, including the iconic Willis Tower.
- Peoria's Murray Baker Bridge.
- Rockford's Morgan Street Bridge.
- Rockford City Hall.
- Embassy Suites Rockford Riverfront.
- Rock Island's Centennial Street Bridge.
Illinois averages nearly 6,000 crashes in work zones each year, resulting in more than 1,500 injuries and almost 29 deaths. More than nine out of 10 deaths are someone other than a worker, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists.
Visit IDOT's Work Zone page for more information.
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