In the Game of Cones, Safety Always Wins is a new theme by ODOT and other safety partners to highlight the need for drivers to make safety a priority when they are behind the wheel. This is part of the department’s larger award-winning Your Life Matters: Drive Like It campaign. In the past five years, 65 people have been killed in a work zone in Oklahoma, including four ODOT employees.
“It takes a tremendous amount of effort and partnerships to keep Oklahoma’s transportation system running smoothly and work zones are a vital part of that,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz. “The crews working just feet away from traffic in some cases put their lives in danger every day to keep drivers safe. We hope they will take safety just as seriously as we do.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt launched ODOT’s safety messaging with a proclamation asking drivers to do their part in making work zones safer. Over two weeks, In the Game of Cones, Safety Always Wins theme was spread across the state, including:
- “Work Zone Wednesday” messages, which are displayed on overhead electronic highway and interstate signs, were increased to every day of the campaign. Messages like “You can’t win the Game of Cones with your eyes on your phones,” and others displayed throughout the two-week campaign.
- A nearly 8-foot-tall throne made from traffic cones was initially on display at Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa. Visitors were invited to snap a selfie on the seat and to give their Work Zone Wednesday ideas.
- The throne made of traffic cones also made its debut in Oklahoma City at Penn Square Mall for the public to experience and interact with workers who can discuss work zone safety in person.
- The Oklahoma City SkyDance Bridge over I-40 glowed orange to honor ODOT’s fallen workers.
- A large display of Remembrance Ribbons for the 61 fallen ODOT workers in the department’s history was on display in Lawton.
- People were encouraged to wear orange to show support for highway workers and snap a selfie for Twitter and Facebook.
- Facebook videos featuring ODOT workers were shared throughout the campaign.
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By the time peak driving season arrives this summer, there will be numerous projects on city and county roads and turnpikes in addition to more than 360 highway and interstate work zones statewide. Some of these larger projects by ODOT include:
- I-235 reconstruction project at the I-44 junction in Oklahoma City;
- Pavement reconstruction on the south leg of the Inner Dispersal Loop in downtown Tulsa, plus an upcoming adjacent work zone of the Broken Arrow Expressway for bridge rehabilitation;
- Interchange and bridge improvements on I-40 at the US-64 junction in Sallisaw;
- I-40 widening between I-240 and Peebly Rd. in eastern Oklahoma County;
- I-35 remains narrowed to one lane in each direction just north of SH-145 near Paoli through fall; and
- The next phase of improvements on US-270/US-183 in Woodward County.
This year’s messaging is in partnership with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Additional supporting partners include Action Safety Supply, Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa and Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City among others to promote safe work zones across the state.
