By WHITNEE ICE
By St. Joseph Post
MoDOT is encouraging awareness this week with roadway safety during summer construction season after an accident involving workers occurred earlier this week.
District construction and material engineer Austin Hibler says there was an accident involving a striping crew earlier this week on southbound I-29 north of St. Joseph.
“Semitruck hit one of our TMA’s which is a Truck Mounted Attenuator, it’s basically a crash cushion used to shield our trucks and our equipment and our people, and so it’s the first line of defense for our crews, and an inattentive drive struck one of those,” Hibler tells St. Joseph Post.
Hibler says the traveling public need to watch for all types of work zones on the roadways.
“We are seeing an uptick in accidents similar to this but in this district and state wide, with our vehicles getting hit. People who may or may not be paying attention or what not,” says Hibler.
Hibler says to slow down when you come-up on a work zone.
“Put your phone down and pay attention because you never know when you’re going to come up on some type of work or some type of worker out there on the roadway.”