APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Work zones are a familiar sight on Wisconsin roads, but the orange cones are serving a greater purpose for those working. More than 2,100 crashes were recorded in Wisconsin work zones in 2024, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) officials say that even one is too many. “It’s a simple but poignant message…He’s a real human being,” Lane Kimble, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association Director of Communications, said. “The other day [my son] put his [yellow safety] vest on and he said, ‘Safety first, Dad,’” Ritter said. Click here for more tips on work zone safety from the WisDOT website.