CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Two ODOT vehicles – a snow plow and pickup truck – were struck in separate incidents Sunday morning amid snowy conditions in portions of Northeast Ohio.
Brent Kovacs, the public information officer for ODOT District 12, tells 3News these incidents mark the 22nd and 23d time ODOT crews have been struck so far this year.
Kovacs outlined the situation from Sunday morning as follows:
- I-90 near East 200th Street around 8 a.m.
- I-71 near Fulton around 11:45 a.m.
"Our employees were not seriously injured," Kovacs told 3News.
He also added a reminder for drivers “to be extra alert for quickly changing conditions and to give our crews plenty of room to work.”
ODOT, meanwhile, addressed their 2023 construction plans last week while outlining multiple projects expected across Northeast Ohio throughout the months ahead. You can see those plans HERE.
During their construction season "kickoff" event, ODOT officials repeatedly stressed safety as a top priority for their crews and drivers.
"It is important for motorists to pay extra attention when driving through work zones," ODOT noted in a press release. "According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, there were 4,628 work zone-related crashes in Ohio last year, 21 were deadly resulting in 23 deaths and 85 involved serious injuries. Summit County recorded the most in the state with 814 work zone crashes. June is the top month for work zone crashes (585) with Wednesday being the top day (833)."
ODOT says most work zone crashes occur between 3-5 p.m.
“These workers are out there ensuring that your travels are as safe as possible. They just ask for your attention and patience in return,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.
Additionally, Ohio’s Move Over law requires drivers to move over a lane for vehicles with flashing lights. If drivers cannot safely move over, they are required to slow down.
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