JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Division of Tourism’s seven Welcome Centers will be turning orange April 6-10, 2009, in recognition of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Operation Orange initiative, which supports National Work Zone Safety Week by turning landmarks around the state orange. Operation Orange was launched in 2007, with more than 70 buildings and landmarks throughout the state turning orange in 2008.
During Operation Orange, Missouri Welcome Centers will not only be participating, but will be competing with the other Missouri Welcome Centers to see who can be best in show. Missouri Welcome Center staff will be designing displays to showcase to visitors the importance of work zone safety. The displays will remain at the Welcome Centers through the month of April.
Missouri roads were safer last year with injuries in construction zones down 24 percent. Approximately 600 people were injured in 2008 compared with 792 in 2007. With the spring and summer seasons comes highway construction, and with highway construction comes the need to remind motorists to drive safely.
This year, the Missouri Department of Transportation will continue with road and bridge improvements with at least 32 projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; more than 800 bridges as part of Missouri’s Safe & Sound bridge program; and improvements on 5,600 miles of roadway by the end of 2011. These improvements will bring 85 percent of Missouri’s roadways up to good condition and will translate into many work zones across the state this construction season. For more information on roadwork, visit www.modot.org.
“Assisting visitors with information on things to see and do in Missouri and asking them to travel safely are our top concerns when folks stop at a Welcome Center,” said R.B. “Bob” Smith, III, Interim Director of the Division of Tourism. “We want folks to get out there and have a positive experience while in Missouri and working together with the Department of Transportation, we hope to make their trip safer.”
For a complete listing of events or to get a copy of your 2009 Official Missouri Vacation Planner, log on to www.VisitMO.com or call toll-free at 800-519-4800.
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Editor’s note: a news release with information on spring festivals and events is available at http://news.visitmo.com/FeatureRelease.
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