Construction season is kicking into high-gear, and crews will be out in neighborhoods across the city doing the critical work of improving, replacing, and maintaining our transportation, water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure that Portlanders rely on every hour of every day.
“Together, Portland’s Public Works teams—across transportation, water, sewer, and stormwater—are building and maintaining the infrastructure our city depends on,” said Deputy City Administrator for Public Works Priya Dhanapal. “These crews work hard, often in dangerous conditions, to serve all of us. We owe it to them to slow down and stay alert.”
Most people killed in work zone crashes are drivers and their passengers. In 2021, 778 drivers and their passengers died in work zones (based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data), making it even more important for drivers to slow down and stay focused while approaching and passing through a roadway work zone.
Work zones play a crucial role in separating construction and maintenance activities from traffic. They provide a safe area for workers and a safe route for all road users (people walking, bicycling, rolling, and driving. However, work zones also frequently involve changes in traffic patterns and rights of way. Those changes, combined with the presence of workers and the frequent movement of work vehicles, may lead to crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
Portland and cities across the nation continue to see a rise in fatal traffic crashes that defy historical trends. Through the Vision Zero program, the City of Portland and our partners are working to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on our streets.
To further protect yourself and city workers from death and injury, the Public Works Service Area bureaus (PBOT, BES, and PWB) ask Portlanders to follow these safety steps:
- SLOW DOWN. Speed is the number one factor in fatal work zone crashes.
- GIVE SPACE. Don’t tailgate and keep clear of construction workers and equipment.
- PUT PHONES AWAY. Distraction is deadly—and illegal.
- FOLLOW THE SIGNS. Signs and flaggers are there for a reason.
- CHOOSE ANOTHER ROUTE. If you can, steer clear of active work zones.
- BE KIND. Expect delays and give crews grace—they’re working for you.
Watch this video from Public Works crews working to keep the street safe, the water on, and sharing why safety around work zones is so important: