Kansas is going “Go Orange” this week to raise awareness about work zone safety, with buildings, bridges, and fountains lit in orange and residents encouraged to wear orange.
Governor Laura Kelly has declared April 21–25 as National Work Zone Awareness Week in Kansas. The proclamation urges drivers to slow down, stay alert, avoid distractions, and be patient in work zones—reminding the public that these actions can save lives.
Kansans are encouraged to wear orange all week, especially on Go Orange Day, Wednesday, April 23, to show support for highway workers and the vital work they do.
Throughout the week, the Kansas Department of Transportation is sharing personal stories from highway workers who have experienced close calls or been hit while on the job. The series also features a story from Shirley McDonald, who lost her son in a work zone crash.
The stories are being shared daily at kansastransportation.blogspot.com.
Numerous KDOT buildings and other locations across the state are lit in orange during National Work Zone Awareness Week including:
- Governor’s Mansion in Topeka
- Visitors Center in the Capitol
- Front of the Topeka City Hall building
- Front of the Wichita City Hall building
- Evergy Plaza in Topeka
- Downtown Kansas Avenue lights in Topeka
- Bridges at U.S. 54/Webb Road junction and U.S. 54/Greenwich Road in Wichita
- Bridge at I-35/119th Street in Olathe
- Travel Information Center on I-70 near Goodland
- Kansas Turnpike Authority buildings in Topeka and Wichita
Message signs across Kansas will display reminders about work zone safety as part of the statewide Go Orange effort.
Go Orange is part of National Work Zone Awareness Week, a nationwide safety campaign supported annually by KDOT and partner organizations. The campaign aims to highlight the risks faced by highway workers and drivers in work zones, while encouraging safer driving habits to prevent crashes and save lives.
