CDOT urges drivers to “respect the zone” during National Work Zone Awareness Week

Statewide – The Colorado Department of Transportation joins transportation agencies across the nation in recognizing National Work Zone Awareness Week, observed this year from April 20 to 24. Based on growing data that shows increased speeding on Colorado roads, this year’s theme, “Safe Actions Save Lives,” is a call to action for every driver to slow down, stay alert and protect crews working on or next to Colorado’s roads. The annual campaign highlights the importance of driver awareness and safety in roadway construction and maintenance zones.

Work zones are critical to maintain and improve Colorado’s transportation system, but they can also be high risk environments for both workers and drivers. In 2025, there were nine fatalities and 548 injuries in Colorado construction and maintenance work zones. Speeding is the most common contributing factor in fatal crashes statewide. The dangers of speeding are amplified in work zones, where narrow lanes, sudden stops and shifting traffic patterns leave workers with little margin for error.

For CDOT, the urgency is deeply personal, and during work zone safety and awareness week we remember members of the CDOT community who have lost their lives in the service of keeping the traveling public safe. Most recently, on Sept. 4, 2024, CDOT maintainers Trent C. Umberger and Nate Jones - members of CDOT Patrol 1 based in Grand Junction - were killed while working roadside when they were struck by a vehicle that veered off the pavement. Their names joined 62 other CDOT employees lost in work zones since 1929, five of them in the past 10 years alone. CDOT’s Grand Junction-based regional team will be holding a special commemoration for Trent and Nathan at the site of this tragic crash.

“Every day, our crews and contractor partners work just feet away from live traffic to keep Colorado’s roads safe and reliable,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Every name etched on our memorial rock represents a life lost - a colleague, a friend, a member of our CDOT family. National Work Zone Awareness Week is an important reminder that when drivers slow down and pay attention, they help ensure these workers can return home safely at the end of the day.”

Nationally, the estimated total number of work zone crashes increased from 2022 to 2023 (most recent data available). However, work zone fatal crashes and fatalities decreased slightly during that same period. While highway workers face great daily risks, it is just as critical for motorists to practice safety in work zones. In fact, four out of five work zone fatalities are drivers or passengers, not highway workers. Colorado experienced 9 fatalities due to crashes in work zones in 2025, an encouraging decrease of 70% from 2024 crash data.

CDOT manages between 175 and 200 construction projects annually, alongside daily maintenance operations across the state. Motorists are reminded that fines for most traffic violations are doubled when traveling through a work zone.

To address fatalities and serious injuries in work zones, CDOT launched the Colorado Speed Enforcement Program in 2025. This program deploys Automated Vehicle Identification Systems in active construction zones to identify vehicles traveling 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit. Registered owners of these vehicles receive a $75 civil penalty. These speed safety cameras are estimated to reduce work zone fatalities and injuries by 20% to 37%.

Media invited to experience work zone conditions

Experience the Front Lines: As part of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week efforts, CDOT is offering a rare, “behind-the-barrel” look at life in an active work zone. We invite members of the media to safely step into the workspace for a first-hand perspective on the narrow margins, massive equipment operations and split-second reaction times crews face while highway traffic rushes by just feet away. Media are encouraged to reach out to the respective CDOT Regional Communications Manager to coordinate a potential experience.

Go Orange Day – Wednesday, April 22

CDOT encourages all Coloradans to wear orange on April 22 to show solidarity with roadside workers and honor the families of those killed in work zones. Share your orange on social media using #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety.
A national Moment of Silence will be observed on Friday, April 24, to honor all those who have lost their lives in work zones.
For more information on work zone safety and to track work zones across Colorado, visit COtrip.org or codot.gov.

Remember: Slow For The Cone Zone

The following tips are to help you stay safe while traveling through maintenance and construction work zones.

• Do not speed in work zones. Obey the posted speed limits.
• Stay Alert! Expect the unexpected.
• Watch for workers. Drive with caution.
• Don't change lanes unnecessarily.
• Avoid using mobile devices such as phones while driving in work zones.
• Turn on headlights so that workers and other drivers can see you.
• Be especially alert at night while driving in work zones.
• Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Allow ample space between you and the car in front of you.
• Anticipate lane shifts and merge when directed to do so.
• Be patient!