Work zone safety patrols increased by PSC

CHARLESTON – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is beefing-up patrols and inspections at major construction sites on Interstate-64 beginning this week, Chairman Charlotte R. Lane said Tuesday.

Additional PSC inspectors are being added to road patrols along I-64 between Charleston and Huntington and particularly in the area of the Nitro-St. Albans Bridge over the highway.

“The interstates are heavily traveled in the summer so we are supplementing patrols to reduce violations, while ensuring the safety of larger commercial vehicles,” Lane said.

The Commission employs commercial vehicle enforcement officers, and part of their job entails ensuring tractor-trailers passing through the state do so safely in high work zones. This week, the Commission is placing extra emphasis on those patrols.

Over the last five years, 1,794 crashes were reported in the state’s work zones.

 “Improving safety on West Virginia’s roadways is our number one goal,” J. B. Schoolcraft, Director of the PSC Transportation Division, said. “As travel increases over the summer months we will focus on commercial vehicle violations in the work zones in an effort to improve safety for all travelers as well the construction zone workers.”  patrols and inspections at major construction sites on Interstate-64 beginning this week, Chairman Charlotte R. Lane said Tuesday.

Additional PSC inspectors are being added to road patrols along I-64 between Charleston and Huntington and particularly in the area of the Nitro-St. Albans Bridge over the highway.

“The interstates are heavily traveled in the summer so we are supplementing patrols to reduce violations, while ensuring the safety of larger commercial vehicles,” Lane said.

The Commission employs commercial vehicle enforcement officers, and part of their job entails ensuring tractor-trailers passing through the state do so safely in high work zones. This week, the Commission is placing extra emphasis on those patrols.

Over the last five years, 1,794 crashes were reported in the state’s work zones.

 “Improving safety on West Virginia’s roadways is our number one goal,” J. B. Schoolcraft, Director of the PSC Transportation Division, said. “As travel increases over the summer months we will focus on commercial vehicle violations in the work zones in an effort to improve safety for all travelers as well the construction workers.