INDOT, Indiana’s highway agency is debuting a new worker-visibility initiative this spring as crews prepare to open several major construction zones in Clinton and Boone counties — and officials are pointing to sobering national statistics to remind drivers that inattention behind the wheel remains the leading threat in work zones.
The announcements came Monday during WILO/Boone 102.7 FM’s “Party Line” radio program, featuring Indiana Department of Transportation Public Relations Director Blake Dahl and Frankfort/Lebanon Area Engineer Colin Yoder, during National Work Zone Awareness Week.
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‘Project Greenlight’ Brings New Visibility to Night Work
INDOT is rolling out “Project Greenlight,” an initiative that equips roadway workers with small, green blinking lights worn on helmets or safety vests.
“We’re equipping workers that are in these work zones — you can attach them to the helmet, attach them maybe to the shoulder, somewhere on the vest, and they blink in bright green,” Dahl said. “It can be seen for up to five miles.”
The human eye is more sensitive to green light, making the devices more effective in low-light conditions than standard reflective gear. Yoder said he received his first shipment this week and plans to deploy them on upcoming night projects, including pavement patching on I-65 and fiber installation near Lebanon.
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The Numbers Behind the Warning
Nationally, 705 drivers and passengers were killed in work zone crashes in a recent reporting year — roughly 80 percent of all work zone fatalities are motorists, not workers — and an estimated 39,000 injuries were reported. Indiana recorded 16 work zone fatalities in 2025, down from 30 the previous year, with approximately 1,500 injuries and just over 6,700 total work zone crashes statewide.
“We’re not going to be satisfied until that number’s zero,” Dahl said.
Speed and distraction lead the list of contributing factors. Texting while driving increases crash risk by 50 percent; wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of a fatal injury by 45 percent.
“Speed is a lot of it. You’re driving through these work zones — sometimes you have lane shifts coming up. People miss them because they’re distracted. All it takes is one split second of looking away from the road,” Yoder said.
Two crash-absorbing trailers attached to INDOT trucks were struck on back-to-back days last week — one on I-65 in Boone County and one on I-70 in Putnam County — with no workers seriously hurt. Yoder said barrel strikes are a daily reality; 60 percent of the barrels in one work zone he visited Monday morning had already been hit. “Don’t hit our barrels, please,” he said.
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Local Projects: What Drivers Should Know
Several significant projects are underway or approaching in Clinton and Boone counties:
• US 421 over Cripe Run, south of Rossville: Bridge work began approximately this week with an estimated three-month closure, weather permitting.
• County Road 750 over Cripe Run: Bridge reconstruction begins in June with a roughly 150-day closure; local project with INDOT oversight.
• I-65 pavement patching, SR 28 to SR 38 (Clinton and Tippecanoe counties): Expected to begin after Memorial Day.
• I-65 southbound ramp at SR 28: New traffic signal installation expected this summer.
• SR 32 realignment, Boone County: Ongoing lane closures; speed limit approaching the work zone permanently reduced to 45 mph, dropping to 35 mph when crews are present. Completion estimated end of 2026.
• US 52/I-65 interchange north of Lebanon: Completion anticipated early August; rolling interstate slowdowns with Indiana State Police expected in coming weeks.
The SR 28/SR 39 to Hoke Avenue project has been completed.
Note: Construction on the bridge 51 on the Mulberry-Jefferson Blacktop about 1/2 mile east of the Deer Track Golf Course road 700 West will close the Mulberry-Jefferson Blacktop. Closure will start after school is out and attempt will be made to complete this construction before school starts in the fall.
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One Minute That Could Save a Life
INDOT’s ongoing “Buckle Up Phone Down” campaign urges drivers to fasten seat belts and silence phones. Officials are asking for patience with reduced work zone speed limits.
“If you’re traveling through about a two-mile work zone, it only takes 60 extra seconds — one extra minute,” Dahl said. “It’s a fraction of time that could save a life.”
Drivers can track project status at 511in.org, use the TrafficWise app for real-time conditions, or report concerns at INDOTforyou.com.
Indiana was recently ranked No. 1 in the nation for best highways.
