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Parkway West Focus Of Effort To Get Drivers To Slow Down In Work Zones

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Parkway West is the focus of a renewed effort to get drivers to slow down in work zones.

And PennDOT is making it very clear that drivers who do not obey the law will be fined and they could lose their license.

It won't come as a surprise. It's clearly marked - active work zones, lane warnings, ramp warnings - all of it along the Parkway West. Roads and bridges are being fixed, workers are everywhere, and navigating it is not going to be easy.

"Expect the unexpected when you drive through our work zones," says Jim Foringer, of PennDOT.

It stands to reason for a project like this, with folks who don't pay attention, with folks speeding, there will be accidents.

"Here in District 11, there were 248 work zone crashes last year with one fatality, [and] 218 of them occurred in Allegheny County," said Foringer.

PennDOT is pleading with motorists to put the cell phones away.

"My plea to everyone - pretend you never heard of a cell phone when driving through a work zone," Foringer said.

State police will not mess around, cut no breaks. Troopers don't want drivers or work crews to be hurt or killed.

"If you're violating any of the motor vehicle laws, you will be cited," said Trooper Robin Mungo, of Pennsylvania State Police. "Understand that those fines will be increased if you are in an active work zone."

If you have an accident and you aren't hurt and you can move your car, state police suggest you report the accident and then move your car out of the way if you can.

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