The National Work Zone Memorial is in North Carolina this week, paying tribute to a North Carolina Department of Transportation worker killed on the job near Wilson.
The traveling memorial honors people who died in work zones and includes a tribute to NCDOT's Anna Bradshaw. Bradshaw was killed when a driver hit her while she was working in Wilson County work zone last August.
A total of 36 North Carolina workers are memorialized on the traveling exhibit and were killed in work zones between 1979 and 2019.
Eric Boyette, the secretary of the N.C. Department of Transportation, spoke on Monday during a virtual event to highlight the visiting memorial and also recognize North Carolina Work Zone Awareness Week, which is April 13-15.
“Those working on our roadways are often in harm's way," Boyette said. “It's up to all of us to make sure these men and woman make it home each night."
The highway construction season is underway in North Carolina, which maintains about 80,000 miles of roadway – second most in the nation.
Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program, said that on any given day, there are about 400 active work zones across North Carolina.
“Our message is to remind the motoring public to slow down and pay attention when approaching work zones, and never drive distracted," Ezzell said during the virtual event.
The traveling memorial will be on display at the Northampton County Welcome Center through Thursday as part of North Carolina Work Zone Awareness Week April 3-7.
