City Urges Safe Driving in Work Zones

Published on July 23, 2025

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Director Liz Elliott today reminded community members to drive safely in construction zones. As infrastructure projects continue across the city, they emphasized that careful driving is essential to protecting construction workers and fellow community members.

“At Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, safety guides every decision we make,” said LTU Director Liz Elliott. “From project planning to daily operations, our goal is to protect the community. We are asking drivers to slow down, stay focused and support the crews working to improve our streets by keeping construction zones safe for everyone who lives, works, and visits Lincoln.”

Mayor Gaylor Baird emphasized that safe driving is a shared community responsibility.

“Construction workers spend their days improving our streets so the rest of us can get where we need to go,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird. “By slowing down and staying alert in work zones, we help keep them safe, and we protect everyone traveling through our city. Each of us has a role to play in making our streets as safe as possible.”

Safety tips for driving in work zones include:

• Plan ahead – Expect delays, plan for them, leave early and when you can, and avoid work zones altogether by using alternate routes.
• Obey street crews and signs – When approaching a work zone, watch for cones, barrels, signs, large vehicles, and workers in bright-colored vests to warn you and direct you where to go.
• Slow down – Watch for and obey speed limit signs through work zones. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
• Move over – Most state move-over laws apply when passing work crews and official vehicles are parked on the shoulder with flashing warning lights.
• Avoid distractions – Keep your eyes on the street and off of your phone.
• Watch for sudden stoppages – In 2021, 24% of fatal work zone crashes involved rear-end collisions.
• Watch for large vehicles – Do not make sudden lane changes in front of trucks that are trying to slow down.

For more information about infrastructure projects in Lincoln, visit lincoln.ne.gov/projects. Current information on street closures is available at lincoln.ne.gov/closures or through the Waze mobile app.