Salem District National Work Zone Awareness Week Features New Barrel Monster

SALEM – National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 20-24, 2026 and Salem District’s first barrel monster, Monster Mike, is part of a display currently highlighted at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in downtown Roanoke now through April 26. 

“The Virginia Museum of Transportation is incredibly grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with VDOT and excited about working together to promote work zone awareness week. We encourage everyone to take extra care when traveling through construction zones. Road workers face daily risks to keep our infrastructure strong and safe. It is important that we all work together to keep everyone safe,” said Mendy Flynn, Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc.

Monster Mike is a special addition to our awareness campaign, and we look forward to him traveling around our area to events sharing his important message about work zone safety and what we can all do to make sure drivers and workers arrive home safe every day. 

This year’s theme for the national campaign from April 20-24 is “Safe actions save lives,” serving as a reminder of the constant need for people to embrace life-saving actions when entering a work zone.

According to preliminary numbers, there were more than 4,000 work zone crashes, 2,300 injuries, and 17 fatalities in Virginia last year. The number of crashes, injuries and fatalities have increased compared to the year before. In 2024, there were over 3,700 crashes, over 1,500 injuries, and 15 fatalities in work zones.

Whether you’re a seasoned driver or someone new behind the wheel, when driving through a work zone:

• Slow down and stay alert when you’re behind the wheel.
• Follow Virginia’s phone down, speed limits and move over laws.
• Don’t drive distracted and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

You can show support for National Work Zone Awareness Week and our crews who work inside them every day, by wearing ORANGE on Wednesday, April 22 during national “Go Orange Day.” Share your pictures with us on Twitter and Facebook! #GoOrangeVa

Since Work Zone Awareness Week originated in the state of Virginia in 1997, it has become a nationwide campaign embraced by other states, public transportation agencies, the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, as well as various safety groups, private companies and individuals.

Barrel Monster Mike stats: 

• Nine feet, seven inches tall and four feet, three inches wide
• Made of seven construction barrels and a 3D printed face
• The signatures on some of the barrels were collected from VDOT employees across the 12 counties Salem District covers. These barrels represented the district over the years during the annual vigil at the VDOT Workers Memorial on Afton Mountain in remembrance of those who have been lost in Virginia’s highway work zones.

Drivers can identify work zones, traffic, incidents and more in advance of their trips by using VDOT’s 511 Virginia tool. Visit Virginia 511, download the free mobile 511 Virginia app or call 511 from any phone in Virginia.

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