Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the winning designs for its second annual National Work Zone Awareness Week billboard design contest, exclusively for Massachusetts college students. The students involved in creating the winning designs who attend Endicott College, Clark University, or UMass/Amherst, will be awarded scholarships provided by the Massachusetts Aggregate and Asphalt Pavement Association (MAAPA) and the designs will be prominently featured on digital billboards along Massachusetts highways during the 2024 construction season.

“The creative designs from college students to remind drivers of work zone safety laws has been inspiring,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “Our construction crews put their safety on the line to build and maintain roads and bridges and the billboard contest recognizes their service and highlights how important it is for motorists to be vigilant and aware when driving through work zones."

The theme for this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) was, “Work Zones are temporary. Actions behind the wheel can last forever.” The main takeaway is that while work zones may be temporary, the choices made by drivers traveling through the areas can have permanent ramifications. Work zone law violators who are guilty of excessive speed, distracted driving, or ignoring lane markings can cause crashes which lead to severe injuries, fatalities, and long-lasting trauma for construction crews.

The 2024 winners are:

• 1st Place: Emma Greenblatt, Endicott College, class of 2027,
• 2nd Place: Erik Vandergrift, Clark University, class of 2025, and,
• 3rd Place: Samantha VanZandt, University of Massachusetts Amherst, class of 2025.

The contest sponsored by MassDOT invited entries from Massachusetts college students and winning designs were selected based on creativity, impact, and relevance to the NWZAW theme.

1st Place: Emma Greenblatt, Endicott College 2027

2nd Place: Erik Vandergrift, Clark University 2025

3rd Place: Samantha VanZandt, University of Massachusetts Amherst 2025

To learn more about National Work Zone Awareness Week by American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA): https://www.nwzaw.org/.  For more information on the contest:  https://www.mass.gov/work-zone-billboard-contest-2024.