Drive safely during construction season

SPRING IS HERE — the grass is greening, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the orange barrels are sprouting.

Along with all the other seasons — baseball season, gardening season, and the rest — spring is the beginning of road construction season.

That’s true here in Sheboygan County as it is in many other places.

Crews are at work on two of the major highways in the county — Interstate 43 and State 23 — making improvements and upgrades to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely.

Safety is an even more important consideration in the construction zones. Crews are working within feet of rushing traffic and, in many ways, their lives are in the hands of those behind the wheels of the cars, trucks and other vehicles whizzing past them.

Certainly, road construction is an inconvenience for those who use the highways. It causes delays and disrupts the flow of our busy days for all of us.

But road construction is a necessary evil that we all have to contend with in today’s motorized society. We all want smooth, safe, efficient highways to drive on, and we can only get that by putting up with the road work that keeps those highways in top shape.

So show the greatest consideration possible for those working on our highways. Obey speed limits in construction zones — remember, fines are doubled for violations in posted construction zones. Be aware of lane closures and crews working. Give them ample space, be ready to brake if needed, slow down where necessary and above all, as the signs say, “Give ‘em a brake.”

If need be, make adjustments to deal with construction — consider alternate routes, give a little more time for your trip to accommodate construction zones, and — if you’re planning a longer trip — check out highway conditions and road construction all along your route. For up-to-date construction and road information in Wisconsin, you can dial 511 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or check out the state Department of Transportation’s Website at www.511wi.gov.

A little bit of consideration and a little bit of safe driving can go a long way in highway construction season, until the orange barrels disappear for the winter.

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