ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - A new device is helping construction crews control traffic during road work.
Instead of multiple people using flags to tell drivers when to stop and go in a construction zone, the automated flagger assistance device is controlled by only one person.
Roanoke Gas said its safer than workers standing out on the road, especially in this heat.
"It's for a safety concern of course as our biggest opponent out here is really safety for our workers and safety for everybody on the road," said Roanoke Gas Project Engineer CJ Boothe.
At the moment, it's not commonly used, but the goal is to use automated flaggers more frequently.