by Donald Eng
MERIDEN, CT – Shari DiDomenico remembers the last time she saw her son, Andrew. It was June 28, 2024, and there was nothing at all remarkable about the day.
“My son left for work that day,” she said. “We had no idea it would be the last time we’d see his face or hear his voice.”
“Andrew was simply doing his job,” Shari DiDomenico said. “He deserved to be protected.”
State officials cited DiDomenico and the other workers killed or injured while working alongside state and local roads at a media event Monday marking the beginning of Work Zone Awareness Week.
The event, held at an active work zone where Interstates 91 and 691 interchange with Route 15, is part of an effort to urge drivers to take care when driving through work zones.
Governor Ned Lamont speaks at an event in Meriden marking National Work Zone Awareness Week on 21 April, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
“Every person working on our roads deserves to make it home safely at the end of the day,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “This week is a reminder that behind every cone and barrier are our neighbors doing essential work to keep our infrastructure safe and strong. Together, we can prevent tragedies and make Connecticut’s roads safer for everyone.”
According to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository at UConn, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, there were more than 2,000 crashes and six fatalities in Connecticut work zones. In 2022, the most recent year of verifiable data, there were 891 work zone fatalities across the nation.
Police Chief Erik Costa said roadside workers “are often placed in some of the most dangerous workplaces you can imagine.”
He added that Connecticut has seen far too many preventable tragedies.
“These aren’t just numbers,” he said. “These are people. They have families and friends.”
Connecticut DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto agreed. He encouraged drivers on state roads to take a moment and picture one of their loved ones working at a place like the I-91 interchange project, just feet away from vehicles passing at highway speed.
“Behind the cones, vests, and hard hats is a human life,” he said.
In addition to the “Slow Down, Move Over” message, officials at the event also announced the theme of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, “Respect the Zone So We All Get Home.”
“Roads are not racetracks,” Eucalitto said. “This past year has been especially difficult for us at CTDOT as we lost one of our own, Andrew DiDomenico, in a tragic work zone crash. We need drivers to slow down, stay alert, and ‘Obey the Orange’ because their choices behind the wheel impact real people, real families, and entire communities.”
Colonel Daniel Loughman, commander of the Connecticut State Police, said officers would continue to step up enforcement efforts. He said State Police have this year issued 55% more infractions for drivers violating the move over law.
The state is also expected to introduce a work zone camera program this year. A one-year pilot program in 2023 resulted in nearly 25,000 motorists receiving written warnings for exceeding work zone speed limits by more than 15 mph, according to state statistics.
Senator Richard Blumenthal shakes hands with a worker at an event in Meriden marking National Work Zone Awareness Week. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
There are several other events planned for the week, including a “Go Orange Day” on Wednesday, April 23. On that day, CTDOT is encouraging the public to wear orange and post photos on social media with the hashtags #NWZAW, #ObeyTheOrange, and #Orange4Safety to promote work zone safety awareness. On Friday, April 25, at noon, CTDOT is encouraging everyone to pause for a moment of silence to honor the 39 CTDOT employees and all people who have died in work zone crashes.
For up-to-date information, safety tips, and news regarding work zone safety, visit ObeyTheOrange.com.