Caution Ahead: Record Ohio Road Construction Planned For 2025

Brake lights. Orange traffic cones and barrels. A neon-vested worker holds up a stop sign. Jackhammers vibrate in the distance. Heavy equipment rumbles and clangs just feet from your vehicle. A message flashes on an electronic board, telling you to expect delays. Traffic hits a standstill. You shift into park and wait for the go-ahead signal amid the harsh smell of fresh asphalt.

Warmer springtime weather means that crews will be out in larger numbers working on Ohio road construction projects. The 2025 construction season will break a record for new projects, with nearly 1,000 planned. But work zones, which create unpredictable driving conditions due to narrowed lanes, shifting traffic patterns, unexpected stops, and amplified distractions, are more than an inconvenience. They can also be dangerous for both workers and non-workers.

Ohio work zone crashes can present a liability maze that’s difficult to navigate and should be discussed with a car accident attorney.

Nearly 1,000 Ohio Road Construction Projects Planned

The 2025 Ohio road construction season is scheduled to be the largest ever in state history. ODOT is launching 955 projects valued at a record $3.2 billion that it says will update 5,538 miles of pavement—enough to pave a two-lane road from New York City to San Diego—and 844 bridges. Some of the notable new projects include:

• I-70/I-270/Brice Road Westbound Interchange Enhancements on the Far East Freeway
• Pavement reconstruction on I-70 in Franklin County from the Madison County line to Hilliard Rome Road
• Resurfacing of U.S. 42 in Union County between U.S. 33 and SR 745
• Development of U.S. 33 and Pickerington Road Interchange in Fairfield County
• SR 208 Reconstruction in Muskingum County

Crews will also be at work this year on several ongoing ODOT projects:

• I-70/71 split in downtown Columbus
• I-270/70 interchange on the east side of Columbus
• I-71 widening south of Columbus, between the Franklin County line and SR 323 in Madison County
• I-70 reconstruction in Zanesville

At a press conference to kick off the 2025 construction season, Governor DeWine said that, “We know drivers see ODOT’s orange barrels and cones as an inconvenience, but they are also a signal of progress and improvement.”

ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn added that, “This year we will see a very significant investment in our transportation infrastructure—one that will improve safety, reduce traffic fatalities, and keep people and goods moving efficiently.”

Alarming Work Zone Crash Statistics

Work zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.

That was ODOT’s message last year about work zone crashes and the dangers they present during its annual campaign, held at the start of construction season, to encourage safe driving through work zones.

The theme for the 2025 Ohio road construction season is “Respect the Zone So We All Go Home.” Its main takeaway is the same, though: work zones are especially dangerous places to work—and drive.

• In just the first two-and-a-half months of this year, there were more than 50 Ohio work zone crashes.
• These crashes are occurring at an “alarming rate,” officials say, and are on track to increase from 2024, when there were nearly 4,000 work zone crashes statewide that killed 22 people. Summit County led the state with 576 work zone crashes followed by Cuyahoga County with 521 and Lucas County with 413.
• More than 4,000 work zone-related crashes caused 1,433 injuries in 2023—110 of them classified as “serious”—and nine deaths.
• Since 2020, there have been more than 22,000 Ohio work zone crashes that resulted in over 8,000 injuries and 100 fatalities.

ODOT notes that work zone safety is not just about making sure workers make it home safe at the end of the day. Work zones also pose unique hazards for drivers, such as reduced visibility, rerouted traffic, and potential collisions with workers, equipment, and other motor vehicles.

• While workers face significant dangers, motorists and passengers account for most work zone fatalities—around 85 to 95% nationwide and a similar number in Ohio.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 742 drivers and passengers died in work zone-related crashes in 2022.
• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that, in 2023, 899 people died in work zone crashes.

The leading causes of fatal crashes in work zones, per the FHWA, are:

• Speed
• Rear-end collisions
• Commercial vehicles (e.g., large trucks and buses)

FHA’s findings on work zone crash causes align with ODOT’s. Ohio traffic officials say that the top work zone crash type—by far—is rear-end crashes. The leading factors in these crashes are speeding and following too closely.

ODOT identifies distracted driving and impairment as other major causes of work zone crashes.

“I think one of the biggies is people just not putting their phones down and focusing on the road like they should be,” said ODOT press secretary Matt Bruning. He also pointed to impaired driving as a major factor in work zone crashes, especially overnight crashes.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol wrote 3,760 work zone citations in 2023 as part of a “safety blitz.” Around one-third involved speeds 20+ mph over the posted limit.

OSHP Lt. Matt Geer told WTOL that a big part of the problem is that drivers don’t treat work zones like the hazard areas they are.

“So what we see most is they don’t change driving behavior, they treat it as any other road. They ignore the signs, ignore the barriers, ignore the workers.”

Work Zone Crash Liability

Receiving a work zone speeding ticket could be considered getting off lightly. A potentially worse outcome is a work zone crash that leads to injuries or even death. The resulting lawsuit could be complex. Multiple parties may be to blame, and liability could be shared and difficult to determine. Parties that may be liable include:

• Motorists: Drivers who speed, tailgate, or drive distracted are frequently at fault. In multi-vehicle crashes, liability may be split among drivers based on Ohio’s comparative negligence law.
• Construction Companies: Contractors must ensure proper signage, barriers, and traffic control. If inadequate warnings or debris cause a crash, the company may be liable. A 2018 Ohio case held a contractor partially responsible for a crash due to confusing lane markings.
• Government Agencies: ODOT and local governments oversee projects and contractor compliance. Although immunity often protects them, certain negligent actions, like approving a flawed traffic plan, could lead to liability.
• Equipment Manufacturers or Suppliers: Defective equipment, like malfunctioning signs, may implicate manufacturers under product liability laws.
• Third Parties: Subcontractors or delivery drivers entering work zones improperly may cause or contribute to accidents.

Ohio Work Zone and Auto Accident Attorneys

There can be 500 to 1,000 active work zones in Ohio during the warmer months and peak construction season. They’re a common sight but pose uncommon dangers due to their inherent unpredictability and ever-changing risks.

The next time you spot those orange barrels, slow down, stay alert, and treat them with the caution they deserve. And if you’re in a work zone accident, keep this number in your phone under “Graham Law” and call us right away: (740) 454-8585. You can also schedule a free case review online.