Mobile operations also require safety to be priority

A crash in a mobile work on the turnpike is shown above.

By Andrew Booth, Safety Coordinator at the Kansas Turnpike Authority

At KTA, many of our daily maintenance tasks utilize a work zone called a mobile operation. These are used for short-duration projects, usually under an hour, such as barrier wall repairs, temporary pothole patching, camera cleaning, striping, and sweeping. Because the work moves with the crew, so does the work zone.

A typical mobile operation includes a minimum of three vehicles:

·       A shoulder shadow truck with an arrow/message board to provide early warning.

·       A lane shadow truck, in the lane where the work is taking place, with an arrow board and crash attenuator (a device designed to absorb impact).

·       The work vehicle with flashing lights which carries the crew and equipment.

So, why use mobile operations? Because they provide two important advantages.

1.     The safety of the workers. Traditional lane closures require several signs, arrow boards, and thousands of feet of cones – often taking longer to setup than the actual work. A mobile operation setup eliminates much of this and reduces the amount of time the men and women on the crews spend in live traffic.

2.     They minimize delays for drivers. Because the closure moves with the operation, lanes can reopen faster. This greatly reduces congestion and helps traffic keep flowing.

But mobile operations still face serious risks. Even with multiple layers of protection, including early warning trucks and signs, crash attenuators, and an abundance of flashing lights, our crews remain vulnerable to the decisions drivers make behind the wheel. In the last few years, several KTA attenuator trucks have been struck, including three during mobile operations.

·       June 17, 2024 - West of Lawrence on I-70

A semi hauling a box truck veered into the closed lane, striking the rear crash attenuator, rolling onto its side before coming to a rest in a field. The driver later admitted he was looking at directions.

·       November 6, 2024 - I-35 near the Oklahoma border

After merging into a lane closure at 55 mph, a car attempted to pass prior to the lane taper and took out several traffic cones before hitting a KTA truck. The driver said they were in a hurry and thought they could make it.

·       July 29, 2025 - South of Topeka on I-335

KTA crews noticed a semi fly by at full speed and radioed a warning to the KTA trucks ahead, but the semi crashed into first truck. Skid marks showed the driver braked only moments before impact.

In each case, our crews were fortunate to walk away with minor injuries. Next time we may not be so lucky.

Whether it’s distracted driving or being in a hurry, the consequences can be life changing. Today, and every day, drivers need to make choices to protect the people behind the cones and trucks. Put the phone down. Slow down. Move over. Stay alert. Our crews depend on it, and so do the people waiting for them at home.