NYC DOT - Public Awareness Campaigns

National Work Zone Awareness Week

National Work Zone Awareness Week brings national attention to motorist, pedestrian, cyclist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. At NYC DOT, safety is our top priority, particularly when it comes to our workforce who provide the essential public-service of repairing and maintaining transportation infrastructure, specifically roads and sidewalks.

We’re Working Here: Work Zone Safety Billboard Design Competition

The We’re Working Here: Work Zone Safety Billboard Competition invites New York City high school students in grades 9-12 to develop creative public service announcements that remind the public to slow down and take caution in work zones.

The competition encourages the next generation of drivers and all roadway users to think through ways to change dangerous behaviors and prevent work zone intrusions that can lead to injuries and fatalities for both the public and work crews.

Students have a chance to hone their graphic design skills and creativity, be a part of a professional-level media campaign, and win a cash prize for their schools.

The submission deadline ended on January 31, 2025.

Prizes

The first-place winning design will debut on a large-scale billboard as part of New York City’s recognition of National Work Zone Awareness week in April 2025.

The first-place winner will receive $1,000, the second-place winner will receive $750, and the third-place winner will receive $500 for each student’s respective school.

Contest Guidelines

All New York City high school students in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate.

Teacher must submit proposal on behalf of student(s). Individual or team proposals are eligible.

Cash prizes are awarded directly to the winning student’s school.

Students are strongly encouraged to review the Resources section below for information about work zones and related safety topics.

If selected, students must sign a waiver that grants NYC DOT ownership and rights to use the winning design. Selected winners under the age of 18 will be required to obtain parental consent.

Up to three winners may be selected.

Proposals that infringe on copyright will not be eligible for consideration. Proposals may not incorporate any design elements that are not original creation of the student (stock photos, emojis, branding, etc.).

Evaluation Criteria

An NYC DOT panel will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

Theme: Proposed billboard design message responds to contest theme of public safety and work zone protection.

Design Quality: Proposed graphic is eye-catching, bold and demonstrates creativity.

Engagement: Proposed visual messaging is clear, concise and accessible to all audiences.

Technical Specifications: Student demonstrates understanding of graphic design practices and adheres to technical specifications.

Technical Specifications

Standard billboards are horizontal landscape format. Design proposals must be scalable to fit final billboard proportions.

Design proposals must be submitted as a .jpeg or .pdf file, no larger than 50 MB.

File dimensions must measure 7.0 inches (h) x 24 inches (w). Set to ½ inch= 1 foot scale.

Files must be set at 300 pixels per inch (ppi) resolution.

Selected student(s) will work with NYC DOT to adjust file specifications for printing and must be prepared to provide original files such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, PDF, .TIFF, .EPS or other vector images. Some design modifications, including font size and accessibility needs should be expected. NYC DOT may translate images to scalable vectors as needed, which may result in subtle design changes.

NYC DOT will work with the selected students to incorporate the NYC DOT logo within the final billboard design.

Resources

Students are encouraged to consider the materials below and conduct additional research while planning a creative approach to billboard design. All information sources should be cited as part of submission.

State and Federal

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration New York State Department of Transportation Work Zone Traffic Control Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration New York State Work Zone Safety Awareness National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Billboard Design Tips and Tricks

Billboard Design Tips and Tricks

NYC DOT

We’re Working Here Campaign (pdf)

NYC DOT Billboard Photo Examples

Vision Zero Digital Billboard at Astoria Boulevard, Queens

Vision Zero Digital Billboard at Northern Boulevard, Queens

Speeding Ruins Lives Campaign

“Speeding Ruins Lives” is a new multi-platform public awareness campaign led by the NYC DOT that aims to reduce traffic related injuries and fatalities citywide. The campaign uses powerful imagery of pedestrians and cyclists in slow motion to show the impact of a crash paired with a direct call to action for drivers to slow down.