Oakland Co. Road Worker Hit By Car While Directing Traffic: Officials

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI — A road worker is recovering after he was struck by a vehicle in an Oakland County work zone in November, according to the Road Commission for Oakland County.

Officials said an Allied Construction employee was hit by a vehicle on West Long Lake Road near Kirkway Road in Bloomfield Township on Nov. 19 while directing traffic through a construction zone.

The road worker was taken to a nearby hospital and initially listed in critical condition, but he is now reportedly recovering at home, officials said.

"Our number-one priority is the safety of both those who use the roads and those who work on the roads," RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar said. "We can’t say this enough: Please slow down and use caution in road-construction zones. We want to make sure the men and women working in these zones go home to their families every night."

Kolar added that road-construction and maintenance work can be dangerous, with workers often working in close proximity to traffic.

"Whether it’s pothole-patching crews, or crews repairing traffic signals or the contractors repaving our roads, these individuals are striving to make the roads safer for the rest of us, and we all owe it to them to use great caution around them to ensure their safety," Kolar said.

State lawmakers have passed numerous laws over the years to help protect road workers, including: doubling fines for speeding in work zones, up to one year in prison for injuring and up to 15 years in prison for killing a road worker and a maximum fine of $7,500.

"I understand that it is sometimes frustrating to have to wait in traffic while road construction or maintenance is taking place," Kolar said. "However, a little bit of patience can save lives and prevent injuries – and help motorists avoid potential jail time and fines if you hit a worker. Please help make sure the road workers get home safely."