PA State Police and PA Turnpike Team Up to Keep Work Zones Safe With ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’
PA State Police and PA Turnpike Team Up to Keep Work Zones Safe With ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’
Initiative to curb unsafe driving behaviors takes place during Distracted Driving Month
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) troopers will once again be trading in their cruisers for construction vehicles in April to help monitor unsafe behaviors like speeding and distracted driving across work zones on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) system.
Launched by the PA Turnpike nearly a decade ago, ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ is a work zone safety initiative in conjunction with PSP that prioritizes the safety of their construction workers and turnpike work crews. Troopers from Troop T monitor work zones across the Turnpike from construction vehicles to watch for motorists ignoring work zone speed limits.
Last year saw 176 reported crashes in active PA Turnpike work zones, resulting in two deaths and 48 injuries. Tragically, 45 PA Turnpike workers have lost their lives on duty since the PA Turnpike opened in 1940.
“Safety has always been and will always be a key part of our culture,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “As we begin another construction season, we need drivers to work with us to provide safe work zones for everyone. More than half of our employees work out in the field to ensure our roadway remains ‘best in class’ for our customers, and paying attention in work zones is critical to helping our workers get home safely.”
In Pennsylvania, there are two distinct programs related to active work zones. Under Title 75, Section 3326, motorists caught by police driving 11 mph or more above the posted speed limit in an active work zone, or who are involved in a crash in an active work zone and are convicted for failing to drive at a safe speed, automatically lose their license for 15 days. Additionally, fines for certain traffic violations — including speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to obey traffic devices — are doubled for active work zones. The law also provides for up to five years of additional jail time for individuals convicted of homicide by vehicle for a crash that occurred in an active work zone.
When ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ resumed for the first time after the pandemic in April 2023, troopers issued more than 430 citations and nearly 400 warnings to drivers disobeying the law. The success of that mission led PSP to conduct more operations to ensure more drivers are aware of their dangerous habits inside work zones.
The first ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ of 2025 coincides with National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In 2023, there were 11,262 crashes involving a distracted driver in Pennsylvania, resulting in 65 fatalities and 409 suspected serious injuries, according to PennDOT data. On June 5, 2025, Paul Miller’s Law goes into effect, prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving.
“The importance of programs like ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ is not necessarily enforcement but the safety aspect and how important it is to slow down and pay attention,” said Cpl. Richard Levan of PSP Troop T. “One highway death is one too many and that’s why we urge motorists to slow down and never drive distracted, especially in work zones.”
“Safety always” is a key part of the PA Turnpike’s culture and mission. The PA Turnpike worked with PSP and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to implement the statewide Work Zone Speed Safety Camera program, which became law in 2023 after a five-year pilot program which saw a 38% reduction in speeding in work zones (1 mph or more over the speed limit), a 47% reduction in excessive speeding in work zones (11 mph or more over the speed limit), and work zone crashes declined by up to 50% when a speed enforcement vehicle was present. The program won the ACEC/PA Grand Conceptor Award in 2025, the group’s highest engineering honor.
The PA Turnpike and PennDOT also have teamed up for a statewide training program to improve new driver safety and roadway worker protection. Pennsylvania's New Driver Work Zone Safety Program is a training project that uses engaging videos, infographics, knowledge checks, and powerful testimonials to teach new drivers work zone laws, signage and key facts, in addition to offering real-life scenarios to enhance understanding.
Safety is a top priority and core value for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. As part of its commitment to safety, the PA Turnpike demonstrates its commitment to safety through several initiatives, including the Work Zone Speed Safety Camera Program, GoOrange Work Zone Safety and Human Trafficking Awareness campaigns. Travelers are never alone on the PA Turnpike. Assistance is available 24/7/365 through *11, a direct connection to our Traffic Operations Center. A dedicated Pennsylvania State Police troop and the GEICO Safety Patrol actively surveil the roadway, respond to incidents, and communicate with the Turnpike Operations Center. Statewide travel, traffic, construction, weather and transit information is available through 511PA. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.
Media Attachments:
Previous ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ events: PICTURES | VIDEO (Download link available in ⓘ information tab)
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, PA Turnpike Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin Havener, PA Turnpike Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com
Cpl. Richard Levan, PA State Police Troop T Public Information Officer: (717) 831-7959, riclevan@pa.gov