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<td>Motorists asked to "step up and take action" to reduce
work zone crashes</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 17 Sep 2013 19:16:13 +0000</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap">From: </th>
<td>Gillach, James (DOT) <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:james.gillach@state.mn.us"><james.gillach@state.mn.us></a></td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap">To: </th>
<td>Gillach, James (DOT) <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:james.gillach@state.mn.us"><james.gillach@state.mn.us></a></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">Minnesota Department of
Transportation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">NEWS RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Narrow","sans-serif"">395 John Ireland Blvd.<span
style="color:#003F4B"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:150%"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial
Narrow","sans-serif"">Saint Paul, MN 55155<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sept. 17,
2013
Contact: Kevin Gutknecht<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
651-366-4266<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:kevin.gutknecht@state.mn.us">kevin.gutknecht@state.mn.us</a><span
class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For immediate
release
Nathan Bowie<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
651-201-7571<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nathan.bowie@state.mn.us">nathan.bowie@state.mn.us</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">MnDOT
implores motorists to drive safely in work zones</span></b><span
style="font-size:14.0pt"><br>
</span><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Two recent work zone
crashes resulted in death and serious injury</span></i><span
style="font-size:14.0pt"><br>
<br>
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">ST. PAUL, Minn.
— The Minnesota Department of Transportation urges motorists
to slow down and pay attention in construction work zones
following a deadly Monday (Sept. 16) when at least three
people were killed within a span of five hours — of which one
motorist was killed in a work zone and another was seriously
injured in a road construction zone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt">Yesterday</span>, a motorist was
killed in Brooklyn Park near Shingle Creek Parkway and I-694,
and the serious injury crash occurred on Hwy 212 in Plato,
Minn., west of the Twin Cities Metro Area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">The Minnesota
Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that there were
26,502
<u>crashes</u> in work zones in the past five years, resulting
in 41 deaths and 4,017 injuries.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">“Speed and
driver inattention are the main causes of work zone crashes,”
said Charlie Zelle, MnDOT Commissioner. “No one likes to be
inconvenienced by work zones, but we all need to be patient
and drive accordingly.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Motorists are
reminded to obey the posted speed limits inside work zones as
fines for speeding may double. Motorists must further
understand the dynamic nature of work zones and that they can
constantly change. Lane shifts and lane closures can take
place with regularity, and workers and construction equipment
are always present and moving about.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">DPS cites there have been 258 traffic
deaths to-date in 2013, up from 248 at this time last year.
Officials remind motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and
bicyclists that these crashes are preventable: Be attentive,
drive at safe speeds, buckle up and wear protective gear, and
drive sober. Officials remind everyone to share the road and
drive cooperatively, not competitively.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">“We’re asking
motorists step up and take action to help reduce these
tragedies,” said Lt. Eric Roeske of the State Patrol. “Crashes
are the result of unsafe driver behavior or decisions which
can be prevented.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none">Motorists are
reminded never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones;
not to make unnecessary lane changes; stay off cell phones and
mobile devices; to be patient and expect delays.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none" align="center">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">#
# #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><img
id="Picture_x0020_1"
src="cid:part3.03060505.03070705@moramn.com" alt="PAY
ATTENTION SLOW DOWN in WORKZONES" width="246" border="0"
height="123"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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