ODOT Stresses Safety Around Work Zones During Winter Storm

With more than 100 crews and 550 trucks on the roads ahead of this weekend's ice storm, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation isn’t taking any chances.

“Our projects are all weather permitting so whenever we know that some bad weather is coming we really scheduling as much construction for that time,” ODOT spokesperson Annahlyse Meyer said on Friday.

Many of the construction sites around the state are shut down until the wintery weather passes. But just because they're empty, doesn't mean they're safe. Those construction zones can be the most dangerous for those behind wheel. That's because those killed most often in work zones are drivers running off the road into heavy machinery.

“Really what tends to be an issue in work zones is that some drivers aren't paying attention to traffic control that's in place in work zones,” Meyers said. “Those can, if you're not paying attention that can kind of sneak up on you a bit quickly.”

“Ice never helps driving conditions, and ice is so tricky because even a little bit on a roadway can be dangerous for drivers,” said Meyer.

So instead, ODOT officials say the best way to travel this weekend may be not to travel at all. And if drivers have to - the advice is simple:

“Check conditions before they go, plan extra time just go ahead to drive slowly tomorrow,” Meyer said.