The cones are out, the barriers are up, the graders are working.
It’s road construction season in North Dakota. The state Department of Transportation, the Highway Patrol and contractors are asking people to drive safely in those construction zones.
"In 2018, we had three workzone fatalities," DOT Director of Operations Wayde Swenson told reporters. "It's going to take everybody to make that zero in 2019."
There were zero fatalities in workzones in 2017.
Swenson said the Department is using electronic signs to let drivers know of upcoming work, as well as portable “rumble strips” to alert drivers they’re approaching a flagger in a workzone, and they need to slow down.
North Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Fischer said besides speed, distracted driving in work zones is a real problem.
"If traffic stopes abruptly, because of a construction zone, we might have a three to four car pile-up, because people are not paying attention, and are driving too close to the vehicle in front of them," Fischer said.
Fischer said drivers need to have a little patience – because the work is being done to make the roadways safer in the long run.
Since 2008, there have been 3019 crashes in construction zones.
"That's much higher than we would like," said Associated General Contractors of North Dakota director Russ Hanson. "That's why we have this campaign each and every year."
DOT said $370 million is being spent on highway projects this year.
