NORTHPORT, Ala. (WIAT) — ALDOT officials in Tuscaloosa County are urging motorists during this spring break season to be more careful when driving through construction zones.
Kevin Williamson is the Tuscaloosa ALDOT Administrator. With lots of folks driving on the roadways, Williamson urges motorists to be extra aware of his crews working in construction zones like on Highway 82 in Northport.
“Pay attention and know what’s going on and slow down and be patient and don’t be a hurry,” Williamson said.
Crews are in the process of adding new travel lanes and installing pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians. Williamson says the most prominent cause of car accidents near work zones stems from distracted driving.
“We need to pay attention when we come into work zones and not be distracted,” Williamson said. “Lots of crashes we see in our work zones are from distracted driving. Many are rear-end collisions when they come up to a two-lane roadway.”
Williamson says an ALDOT worker was injured a few weeks ago on Highway 69 and another was killed in Chilton County in 2021. Williamson says the recent work zone wreck that killed six workers in Maryland is a heartbreaking reminder of how tragic these accidents are.
“That really hits home for us and it has brought some conversations here about what we do and how we do things,” Williamson said. “That’s what my crew does every day, they are maintenance employees who work for the state of Alabama. It’s sad what happened to those employees in Maryland.”
ALDOT says drivers can face a $250 fine for any moving traffic violations committed in a construction zone.