This is National Workzone Awareness Week.

Sadly, three people lost their lives while working to improve Michigan roads in 2021, including one from our area: Lawrence “Larry” Leonarduzzi, an Iron County Road Commission employee who died Jan. 13, 2021, after being struck and pinned by a pickup truck while working as a flagger in a marked work zone on Bates-Amasa Road in Crystal Township. He was only 56 and had worked at the road commission for more than seven years.

Jerry Mittelstadt, 57, of Argonne, Wis., has been charged with a moving violation causing death in a work or school bus zone and/or in the alternative reckless driving causing death, both felonies. He still awaits trial.

The other two workers killed in Michigan were Reason Tillman-Morgan from Anlaan Corp. and Shawn Kelley from STARS Ready Labor.

These tragedies could have been avoided by drivers adhering to basic rules of the road, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

And it’s not just road workers at risk — preliminary information showed 19 fatalities, 65 serious injuries and 5,047 total crashes in work zones in 2021, MDOT stated in a news release.

National Work Zone Awareness Week has been observed for more than 20 years and was launched as a public awareness campaign to help in understanding the key role everyone plays in keeping motorists and roadway workers safe.

This year’s theme, “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down,” emphasizes the importance of driving safely and workers making safety a priority in work zones.

With Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s $3.5 billion Rebuilding Michigan program underway, numerous projects will be started throughout the state in coming months. No matter the size, all will require drivers’ undivided attention.

“We can fix our roads and bridges safely if we all work together,” Whitmer said. “Our road agencies work diligently to create safe work zones, and motorists need to be responsible and cautious when driving through them.”

“We understand that rebuilding our infrastructure can be an inconvenience to drivers, but there’s more at stake here than time and money,” State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba said. “A few seconds of inattention can equate to a lifetime of grief and regret.”

It’s not just road and bridge crews that need safe work zones. All kinds of infrastructure will need work, including fiberoptic, water, sanitation, natural gas and electricity.

“I implore drivers to slow down, avoid all distractions, and remain alert when driving through a work zone each and every time,” said LeeRoy Wells Jr., senior vice president of operations at Consumers Energy. “Despite working with electricity and natural gas, some days vehicles present the biggest threats we face, and we rely on you, the drivers, to operate your vehicles safely to allow us to go home to our families unharmed.”

To create awareness and show support for work zone crews, MDOT encourages everyone to “Go Orange” by wearing orange Wednesday, at home or in the field, and sharing a photo on social media wearing orange using hashtags #Orange4Safety, #GoOrangeDay, and #NWZAW.

MDOT also reminds motorists to know before you go. Check www.Michigan.gov/Drive for active work zones on state roads — I, M and U.S. routes — before heading out.