NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today joined NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC), the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT), and other entities working on city streets and highways to promote National Work Zone Awareness week and unveil the winning design for a student competition to promote work zone safety awareness. The inaugural winner is Taino Mendez, a junior at Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical High School, and the winning design is now installed on a billboard at the corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 31st Street in Queens. It will also be installed on a billboard above NYC DOT owned property on Hamilton Avenue near Red Hook, Brooklyn and will also run in the form of digital ads at both the St. George and Whitehall Staten Island Ferry terminals.
“As construction season kicks into high gear, we’re waving the flag: you need to be extra cautious on the road,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth. “It’s not just for the hardworking men and women who build and maintain our city, but for their families too. Slow down and save a life. It’s that simple.”
“Our crews are out every day on our streets delivering critical infrastructure repairs and their safety is in the hands of drivers,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “This year we looked for a creative and engaging way for our next generation of drivers to be involved in work zone awareness. The overall message remains regardless of how we present it: slow down and drive as carefully as you would if the workers were members of your own family.”
The We're Working Here: Work Zone Safety Billboard Design Competition, announced in December 2024, encourages students to think of ways to change dangerous behaviors and prevent work zone intrusions that can lead to injuries and deaths for both the public and work crews. There were 136 total submissions in the competition’s first year. The winners will receive a cash prize for their schools with first place receiving $1,000; second place $750; and third place $500. This year’s second and third place winners represent Thomas Edison Career and Technical High School in Queens and Tottenville High School on Staten Island, respectively.
Throughout the year, NYC DOT maintains its commitment to workers through comprehensive work zone training provided by the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and E-PRO Safety Solutions, ongoing safety assessments of job sites and improvements to fleet equipment such as back-up cameras and retro-reflective markings.
Each year, over 900 people lose their lives and an estimated 42,000 are injured in work zone incidents across the country. Last year NYC DOT experienced 12 work zone intrusions, resulting in five injuries. These figures are nearly identical to the 2023 number, and there has been one injury so far this year. Overall, 57 NYC DOT workers have been injured in work zone incidents since 2009 and five have died from work zone-related events during the past two decades.
“Every single day of the year DEP crews are working in roadways across our city to maintain the roughly 15,000 miles of water mains and sewers that are the lifeblood of the Big Apple,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “Our crews work to serve the public and we hope all roadway users will operate with care and patience around work zones and allow our workers to go home to their families at the end of each day.”
“DDC is working on 200 projects valued at more than $5 billion for the Department of Transportation, spread across neighborhoods throughout the city,” said DDC Deputy Commissioner for Safety and Site Support Alla Ayzenshtat. “It is essential that both our employees and contractors have a safe environment to serve the people of New York. Reaching your destination quickly is never more important than someone’s life. We ask drivers to exercise caution on the roads, especially near construction sites, as warmer weather brings more projects underway. The DDC’s Division of Safety and Site Support continues to ensure that proactive safety measures, such as field auditing, site safety plans, safety awareness seminars, preconstruction meetings, and safety outreach program, all aimed at minimizing accidents and fostering a safer work environment for everyone.”
For information about work zone safety, Vision Zero and other efforts, visit NYC DOT’s webpage our Work Zone Awareness Week page, or nyc.gov/visionzero.
