NorthWestern Energy

Work Zone Safety

While driving the highways of Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska this summer, you will more than likely come upon a work zone.

• REMEMBER: SLOW DOWN whenever you enter a Work Zone! Look ahead and watch for signs to direct you.
• Reduced speed limits are commonly posted in work zones. The posted speed in a work zone is the speed the Highway Patrol uses as a basis for writing citations. All fines double in a work zone and could be as much as $1,000.
• Be cautious and stay in designated lane until you have left the work zone. You should look ahead, become aware of your surroundings, and slow down!
• The Flagger’s Job is Protection. The flagger is the most important person in a work zone. They are there to protect and direct you.
• Do not pass in work zones.
• The most common accident in a work zone is a rear end collision. Remember to pay attention to traffic and drive defensively!

Construction Projects You May Encounter

• Road Building: Usually very large projects with many different situations.
• Chip Seal: Applying oil and gravel (chips) on the roadway. Could encounter delays. Obey speed limits as chips can damage windshield if you travel too fast. You may have to follow a pilot car.
• Road Maintenance: Slight delays for the patching of pot holes and other minor projects.
• Litter Pickup: Private citizens that “adopt a highway” and volunteer their time to keep our highways clean.
• Surveying: You may or may not be affected by a survey crew. Please obey the traffic control signs and exercise caution.

Cones may be used to guide traffic into lanes and around work areas. Always look well ahead to see if there is any indication of additional road work: workers on the road way, equipment on the road or in the right of way.

Slow Down In Work Zones
It only takes a little extra time to drive 45 MPH through a work zone. Look how much longer it takes to travel 45 MPH instead of 65 MPH.