ODOT: Automated flaggers making road work safer

If you drive a car, you’ve probably seen them at road construction sites:  Men and women wearing neon safety vests and holding signs that read “slow” on one side, and “stop” on the other. ODOT employees coordinate with each other to flip the signs, allowing traffic to move by the work site.

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, flagging traffic is one of the most dangerous jobs.

ODOT has found a solution to making that job safer by using an automated flag.

Stark County crews are using automated flaggers along two-lane roadways. The devices allow crews to direct motorists around ongoing work without standing directly in oncoming traffic.

During a flagging operation, two units are spread apart on the road. Using a hand-held controller, employees push a button that lowers and raises the arm and changes the light from red to yellow, signaling to traffic whether to stop or go on. They also use a radio system to communicate with each other.