Zachry Construction Launches Community Work Zone Safety Program

Highlights

• Zachry Construction launched a work zone safety education program designed for workers, motorists, families and local communities.
• The initiative uses school visits, community events, digital content and project outreach to promote safer driving around construction zones.
• The program centers on four behaviors: avoiding phones, following signs, slowing down and watching for workers.
• The first community rollout took place in Fort Worth with students, families, construction workers and local officials.
• Zachry plans to incorporate the program into safety outreach across its infrastructure projects.

Work zone safety education is expanding beyond construction sites as Zachry Construction Corporation launches a community-focused program aimed at improving driver awareness around active infrastructure projects.

Safety Education Extends Beyond Construction Sites

Zachry's new Zone Ranger program is designed to provide simple safety guidance to motorists and families who encounter active work zones. The initiative uses a public-facing safety character, Zach the Zone Ranger, to communicate work zone practices to children and other community audiences.

The program emphasizes four actions for drivers approaching construction areas: put down the phone, watch for signs, slow down and remain alert, and watch for workers.

Zachry plans to use school visits, safety presentations, community events, project communications and digital content to deliver the messaging. The approach is intended to reach students, parents, commuters and newer drivers alongside construction personnel.

Fort Worth Serves as Initial Community Rollout

The first community event took place in Fort Worth in conjunction with a Texas Department of Transportation Fort Worth District event. Students, families, construction workers and community representatives participated in the launch.

Students at Blue Haze Elementary were designated as the program's first safety ambassadors following the event, establishing a school-based component for future safety education.

The initiative comes as Zachry works on two projects associated with TxDOT's 20-30 program in Fort Worth. The broader transportation program is focused on congestion relief and mobility improvements in the growing corridor. Zachry's work is scheduled for completion in 2030, with construction phases beginning as early as September 2024.

Why It Matters

The program connects contractor-led safety efforts with public behavior around active construction areas. For transportation contractors, maintaining safe work zones depends not only on site controls but also on motorists recognizing changing traffic conditions, signs and worker activity.

Zachry's planned use of recurring community outreach gives the safety initiative a framework that can be applied across infrastructure projects and adapted to local audiences.

Source: Zachary Construction.