The New Jersey Work Zone Safety Conference promotes work zone safety awareness on local and state roadways for a multi-disciplinary audience of construction, engineering, public safety, maintenance, and operations personnel.
This year’s in-person event will commence with a presentation by Chris Lalevee from Local 825 on Naloxone which is an opioid overdose reversal medication. The U.S. has seen an insurgence of opioids such as fentanyl that has led to a staggering number of overdose deaths which impact work zones. The NJDOT Permits Unit will discuss the permit process and the expectations and requirements when performing work on state roadways. Thomas Parbs from Haas Alert will provide insight into the latest technology to keep motorist and workers safe in work zones. The keynote presentation will be delivered by Todd Peterson from the FHWA and Mark Mockett from the U.S. DOT Volpe Center. They will address the Work Zone Data Exchange which enables infrastructure owners and operators to make harmonized work zone data available for third party use. Professional Engineer Gordon Meth from Robson Forensic will share his unique perspective on work zone litigation with the conference concluding with a panel discussion on work zone safety on county and municipal roadways.

As part of the program, the Michael J. Corbett Training & Education Award will recognize an individual who has enhanced safety through education and training. Furthermore, the New Jersey Work Zone Safety Excellence Awards will be presented to recognize inspiring efforts of individuals, companies and roadway agencies that have demonstrated effective temporary traffic control in planned work zones on New Jersey roadways.

Hosted by Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) and the New Jersey Work Zone Safety Partnership (NJWZSP). The NJWZSP is an ad hoc committee with the primary goal of promoting work zone safety education and awareness to reduce the number of workers and road users being injured or killed in work zones. The NJWZSP includes representatives from both the public and private sectors involved with work zone activities.

                                     2025 AGENDA

8:30 a.m.             Opening Remarks

David Maruca, Program Development Administrator, Rutgers CAIT
Michael Rizol, Director (invited) New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety
Robert Clark, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, NJ Division
Richard Mendelson, Regional Administrator (invited), US Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Francis K. O’Connor, Commissioner (invited), New Jersey Department of Transportation

9:00 a.m.             “Naloxone 101”

Chris Lalevee, IOUE Local 825 Map Coordinator

9:30 a.m.             “NJDOT Highway Occupancy and Access Permit Process”

Aarti Gupta, Supervising Engineer, Operations Permit Unit
Shilp Shah, Project Engineer, Operations Permit Unit
Gilbert Dilks, Construction & Material, Technician 4, Operations Permit Unit

10:00 a.m.           Break/Exhibits

 10:15 a.m.           “Thinking Differently; Putting the Brakes on Distracted Driving”

Thomas Parbs, Vice President, HAAS Alert

11:00 a.m.           Keynote Address:  “Work Zone Data Exchange”

Todd Peterson, Transportation Specialist, Federal Highway Administration
Mark Mockett, General Engineer, Innovated Research Division, U.S. DOT Volpe Center

11:45 p.m.          Presentation of 2024 Work Zone Safety Excellence Awards

 12:00 p.m.          Lunch

1:00 p.m.             “Work Zone Litigation”

Gordon Meth, P.E., Robson Forensic

1:45 p.m.             Panel Discussion: “Work Zone Safety on County and Municipal Roadways”

Moderator:  David Maruca, Rutgers CAIT
Panel: George Fallat, P.E., Middlesex County Engineer
John Mcelhaney, Sign Maker 4, Middlesex County DPW
Chris Beach, Training & Safety Manager, Atlas Flasher
Gary Holsten, Lt., Traffic Safety Bureau, South Brunswick PD
John Lewis, Safety Coordinator, PSE&G Northern Gas Ops

2:30 p.m.             Adjourn

Credits:
3 PDH; 2.75 Management, .5 Government, .75 Technical applied for

Fee: This conference is free of charge.