Work zone safety education is expanding beyond construction sites as Zachry Construction Corporation launches a community-focused program designed to improve awareness among drivers, families and young people.
The San Antonio-based contractor introduced the Zone Ranger program on September 24, 2026, during a Texas Department of Transportation Fort Worth District event. The initiative uses a character called Zach the Zone Ranger to deliver work zone safety messages to children, commuters and other members of the public.
The program comes as Texas continues to experience significant traffic activity around construction zones. According to data cited by the company from the Texas Department of Transportation, more than 28,000 crashes occurred in Texas work zones during 2025, resulting in 203 deaths, including seven roadside workers.
The Zone Ranger initiative focuses on four actions for motorists approaching active work zones: putting down the phone, watching for signs, slowing down and staying alert, and watching for workers.
Zachry plans to incorporate the program into school visits, safety presentations, community events, project communications and digital content. The goal is to make work zone safety information accessible to audiences who may interact with construction zones as drivers, pedestrians, workers or families.
The Fort Worth rollout included local students, families, construction workers and community leaders. Students at Blue Haze Elementary were designated as the program’s first safety ambassadors following the event.
The initiative extends Zachry’s existing safety practices into the communities surrounding its infrastructure projects, emphasizing that construction-site safety also depends on how the traveling public responds to temporary traffic conditions.
The first rollout is taking place in a region where Zachry is delivering two projects associated with TxDOT’s 20-30 program. The broader initiative is intended to address congestion and improve mobility in the Fort Worth area.
Construction on Zachry’s portions began in phases as early as September 2024, with completion scheduled for 2030. The projects provide an ongoing setting for work zone safety education as construction activity changes travel patterns and introduces motorists to active work areas.
The Zone Ranger program is intended to continue across Zachry projects through community outreach and internal safety efforts. By incorporating safety education into project engagement, the initiative provides a recurring channel for communicating work zone precautions to people who travel through construction areas.
Work zone incidents can affect construction workers as well as motorists and passengers. For contractors delivering highway and civil infrastructure projects, public awareness is an important part of managing risks around active work areas.
Zachry’s program demonstrates how construction companies can extend safety communication beyond project crews by engaging schools, families and local communities. Continued education can reinforce safe driving behaviors around changing traffic patterns, construction equipment and roadside workers.
Source: Zachary Construction.
