Drivers in southwest Oregon will encounter automated flaggers in two road construction zones this spring and summer. The Oregon Department of Transportation says the devices, which are controlled by a crew member standing to the side, are a safer way to control traffic in a work zone.
ODOT’s Mac Lynde explained how they work in a video posted on the agency’s social media channel.
“I would ask you to pay attention to these devices and obey the traffic law," he said in the video. "When you approach it, follow the red and yellow lights accordingly, and please remember to be safe as you’re traveling through our work zones.”
The automated flaggers will be used in projects along Highway 38 through Scottsburg and along Highway 42 near Camas Valley. ODOT says the devices have been used elsewhere in Oregon for nearly a decade.