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New signs for start, end of road work zones close legal loophole

Date Posted: April 16 2004

Michigan’s road work zones now have an official beginning, and ending, with legislation that went into effect April 8.

Work zones will be marked with “Work Zone Begins” and “End Road Work,” and mobile crews will be sandwiched by “Begin Work Convoy” and “End Work Convoy.” The new state law also requires posting a speed limit sign in all work zones.

“This bill is about protecting road workers, but also slowing everyone down for their own protection,” said State Transportation Director Gloria Jeff. “Most motorists don’t realize that statistically they are more at risk than the workers are in work zones. But, the point is, we want everyone to slow down for safety. This new law will clearly mark the beginning and end of work zones while informing the motorist what the speed limit is ‘in the zone.’ “

The law requiring the new and improved signage is a follow up to “Andy’s Law,” which was adopted in 2001 and was named for 19-year-old construction worker Andrew Lefko. He was seriously injured by a driver in a 1999 construction zone crash in Southeast Michigan.

This law created penalties: up to 15 years in prison and $7,500 in fines for driving in a criminal manner – such as reckless or drunken driving – and killing a construction or maintenance worker; and up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines for injuring a worker.

The new law, P.A. 315, will include penalties for lesser driving offenses such as careless driving or speeding. State legislators adopted the new law in response to an August 2002 traffic accident on I-94 in Macomb County. A driver traveling at nearly 80 miles per hour through a highway work zone hit and killed one road construction worker while seriously injuring another. The driver was acquitted of all charges in part, prosecutors say, because Andy’s Law lacked a clear definition of a work zone.

“The safety of workers has always been one of my top concerns,” said Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-Troy, who introduced the legislation in the state Senate. “We must make driving safely in work zones one of our top priorities this year as construction starts up again in Michigan.”


A "WORK ZONE BEGINS" sign marks the start of the job at the Capitol Loop reconstruction project in downtown Lansing. Motorists can expect to see new signs at all Michigan work zones this year, marking the beginning and end of the zone, as well as speed limit signs. (MDOT Photo/Jim LeMay)