Cities throughout the state are working to improve highway safety for road crews and travelers, with help from the West Virginia Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) at West Virginia University.

Representatives from 10 municipalities plan to visit WVU Friday (Feb. 1) to pick up free packages of work zone signs and materials, worth about $3,000 each.

Participating cities are Grant Town, Madison, Logan, Rupert, St. Marys, Bluefield, Belington, Triadelphia, Richwood and New Haven.

Officials will travel to Morgantown to claim the packages. Each includes 18 portable work zone signs, six sign stands, four barricades, four plastic drums, 16 cones, two reflectiveStop/Slowpaddles and four full-coverage safety vests.

Each city will also receive a free, hands-on work zone safety training course from a member of the LTAP staff. This training will include instruction on how to correctly set up work zones to provide a safer environment.

The programs goal is to help municipalities improve the quality of work zone traffic control and ultimately improve traffic safety across the state.

Including this years recipients, LTAP has awarded 51 sign packages since the program began in 1995.

West Virginia LTAP is excited to award 10 packages this year,said Anthony Ford, program coordinator.We believe these packages will decrease the number of work zone related injuries by offering West Virginia communities the tools they need to prevent injuries to road and utility workers and provide safe passage for motorists.

West Virginia LTAP is housed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in WVU s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

LTAP provides training and technical assistance for highway maintenance and safety workers. Funding is provided by the Federal Highway Administration and the West Virginia Department of Transportation. Awards are based on demonstrated community need, among other criteria.