Work Zone Safety Clearinghouse Names Board Of Advisors, Holds First Meeting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 3, 1998
Contact:
Matt Jeanneret
202-289-4434
Washington, D.C.— Announcing their commitment to help eliminate the 700 deaths and 37,000 injuries that occur each year in roadway construction sites, public and private safety leaders gathered this week for the inaugural meeting of the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse Board of Advisors. The meeting took place at the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Building in Washington, D.C.
Vehicle accidents in roadway construction zones are a serious public health problem and have received national attention recently. The 40 percent increased investment in transportation improvements contained in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) means substantial highway construction in the coming years, potentially placing motorists and construction workers at greater risk.
The Clearinghouse, which operates out of the Texas Transportation Institute in College Station, Texas, is a cooperative venture between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and ARTBA to improve safety in work zone sites. The facility opened for business in February 1998.
The Board of Advisors, consisting of corporate and organization leaders interested in highway safety, will provide oversight and guidance to FHWA and ARTBA on the general operation of the Clearinghouse. The Board members will also help create awareness of Clearinghouse services and help develop long-term financial support for the project.
The Board of Advisors includes:
- Roger Wentz, executive director, American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), Fredericksburg, Va.
- Jeffrey Nicholson, executive vice president, ADDCO Corporation, St. Paul, Minn.
- Brian Fischer, vice president, CNA Insurance Company, Chicago, Ill.
- Edwin Wood, director, business development, Barrier Systems, Carson City, Nev.
- George Ebersole, president, Energy Absorption Systems, Chicago, Ill.
- Tom Brahms, executive director, Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, D.C.
- Brian Stotler, executive committee, International Municipal Signal Association, Arlington, Va.
- Howard Stussman, editor-in-chief, Engineering News-Record, McGraw-Hill Companies, New York, N.Y.
- David L. Winstead, president, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and secretary of transportation, state of Maryland, BWI Airport, Md.
- Tony Giancola, executive director, National Association of County Engineers, Washington, D.C.
- Barbara Harsha, executive director, National Association of Governors Highway Safety Representatives, Washington, D.C.
- Robert Garrett, executive secretary, National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Sun City West, Ariz.
- William Harley, executive vice president, National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), Arlington, Va.
- Susan Herbel, executive director, Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Washington, D.C.
- Francis Gerace, deputy commissioner & chief engineer, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany, N.Y.
- Kathy Hoffman, executive director, Roadway Safety Foundation, Washington, D.C.
- Robert Skinner, executive director, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.
- T. Peter Ruane, president & CEO, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Washington, D.C.
- David R. Kraemer, president, Edward Kraemer & Sons, Plain, Wis.
- Stan Lanford Jr., president, Lanford Brothers Co., Hollins, Va.
- John W. Midgley, director of engineering, Jackson County Road Commission, Jackson, Mich.; and
- Robert G. Burleson, president, Florida Transportation Builders Association, Tallahassee, Fla.
The National Safety Council and several other organizations will also be named to the Board of Advisors in the next several weeks.
The Clearinghouse provides transportation agencies, law enforcement departments, highway designers and contractors, labor unions, public safety officials, manufacturers and suppliers of traffic control suppliers, researchers, utility companies, insurance companies, motor clubs and other interested parties with a wealth of information on how to make road construction zones safer for motorists, pedestrians and highway workers.
The Clearinghouse can be reached via toll-free phone (1-888-447-5556), fax (409-845-0568), e-mail (workzone@tamu.edu), or on the Internet at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu.
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