Work Zone Awareness Week 2025 kick-off event planned for Monday in Joplin

JOPLIN – As the busy road work season gets underway across Missouri, the Missouri Department of Transportation kicks off the 2025 Work Zone Awareness Week (April 21-25) with an event planned in Joplin Monday, April 21.

This year MoDOT will be joined by partners to help kick off this important week, sharing stories of working alongside the traveling public, and the close calls they’ve experienced.

Joplin Kick-Off Event:

• When: 12:30 p.m. on Monday, April 21
• Where: MoDOT Joplin Regional Office, 2915 South Doughboy Drive, Joplin, 64804
• Scheduled Speakers: MoDOT Southwest Assistant District Engineer Greg Chapman, Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Sam Carpenter

In 2024, 23 people were killed in Missouri work zone crashes. Distracted driving contributed to at least four of those fatalities as well as more than 350 work zone crashes overall. Distracted driving and driving too fast for the conditions remain the top contributors to work zone crashes.

Media partners will have an opportunity to take photos/film of work zone vehicles and signage before and after the media event. All speakers will also be available for individual interviews regarding work zone safety directly following the scheduled media event.