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ROY — As road construction ramps up around the state, construction on 5600 South in Roy will directly impact elementary school students heading to and from school.
For these students, knowing what to do around construction zones is vital.
And as such, the Utah Department of Transportation and Roy Elementary School are teaming up to promote work zone safety through presentations and relays with students who are walking through UDOT's 5600 South construction project.
David Thal, prinicpal of Roy Elementary, told KSL-TV that about 200 kids will be traveling through the construction every day.
"It's a good mix of everybody on both sides of 5600," Thal said.
Some students are being dropped off at the school, and others are biking. Thal said most of the students are walking through the area with a parent.
Kindergarten through sixth graders attend Roy Elementary. "We pass this every day," said Kirsli Coons, a fifth grader at Roy Elementary.
Students are crossing what is already a busy road.
Work zone safety for the next few years
Students will be navigating through construction for at least the next two years while the road is widened. "There are potential hazards everywhere through the neighborhood," Thal said.
Students are aware of the potential dangers of walking through a construction zone.
"If a kid were to go over there and start messing around on the construction area, someone could get hurt. Something could fall on them. They could fall in a pile of dirt," said Marley Olney, a fifth grader at Roy Elementary.
UDOT said last year, there were 1,449 crashes in Utah work zones. In those crashes, there were 27 serious injuries and seven fatalities.
The hope is through learning these messages: Safety is a priority in these areas.
"That they understand a safe way to come to school and go home," Thal said.
Thal said some of the construction work that is a little more dangerous will happen during the summer when kids are not traveling to and from school.
