NEW YORK – New York Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled a new memorial at the 2021 Great New York State Fair Sunday at the 2021 New York State Fair honoring deceased highway workers.
The memorial, located near the midway entrance and west of the Horticulture building at the fairgrounds, pays tribute to all transportation workers who died while performing their job duties on or near the thousands of miles of roads. of New York, including employees of the state Department of Transportation and the Highway Authority, municipal highway workers, contractors, consultants and towing service employees.
“This memorial honors hardworking New Yorkers who risked their personal safety to build our bridges, pave our roads and maintain our infrastructure so the rest of us can safely reach our destinations,” said Governor Hochul. “This will serve as a lasting tribute to all those who lost their lives while on duty, and as a reminder that these dedicated workers are there every day to make our roads and bridges safer. We owe them all a debt of gratitude. “
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2003 to 2017, 1,844 workers lost their lives at highway construction sites in the United States, averaging 123 per year. The New York Department of Transportation alone has lost 56 workers during its existence.
The new monument includes a centerpiece with a bronze sculpture of shovels, helmets and boots on a platform surrounded by four bronze traffic cones and a dedication plaque. It has paved hallways and seating for respectful reflection. Shrubs and trees have also been planted around the centerpiece and along the exterior of the monument.
“This memorial is a lasting tribute to the many highway and transportation workers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving the public. We are forever grateful to the women and men who build, operate and help maintain our highways and this new memorial will serve as a lasting reminder to all New Yorkers, ”said State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Domínguez. “Our thanks to Governor Hochul and the Great New York State Fair for their assistance with this memorial. And please, when driving through a highway work zone, hang up the phone, keep your eyes on the road, slow down speed and, above all, pay attention, lives depend on it. “
DOT works year-round to improve the safety of its workforce. Portable buzzers that precede work zones and prevent distracted driving are now used in all regions of the state for contractor and maintenance project work zones to better protect flaggers and transportation workers. Work zone cameras are also being deployed in DOT maintenance work zones and contractor project work zones in New York to better protect transportation workers.
This year, the Thruway Authority is rolling out more than a dozen new trucks in its four maintenance divisions statewide with improved technology directly focused on improving work zone safety. The vehicles include large radar screens that alert motorists of the work zone speed limit compared to their approach speed, directional arrows, traffic attenuators, and wider reinforced hubs with swing doors to allow for further deployment or removal. easy and safe of cones and barrels.
Sunday’s event comes as New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies are issuing tickets in record numbers to crack down on motorists who disobey traffic and vehicle laws in highway work zones as part of Operation Hardhat. Last year, the State Police issued 1,770 fines during Operation Helmet activities, which exceeded the 2019 total by nearly 70 percent. Already this year, police and local law enforcement agencies have issued more than 1,600 tickets under the initiative.
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