Safety in Action: Joining Walsh Group in Job Site Safety for Chicago Community Project

During 2026 Construction Safety Week in early May, AWP Safety joined Walsh Group at its Franciscan Outreach 21st Street renovation project in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood to provide safety education and demonstrate how traffic control technology can help elevate safety in and around active work zones.

The visit brought together job site safety, traffic control innovation and a project with a meaningful purpose for the surrounding community. The Franciscan Outreach project involves the renovation of an existing 45,000-square-foot warehouse into a facility that helps homeless men and women in Chicago gain the stability they need to transition into permanent housing.

Connecting Traffic Control to Job site Safety

AWP Safety team members spoke with Walsh Group crews about the critical role traffic control plays in overall jobsite safety. The conversation focused on situational awareness, communication and the risks workers face when operating near live traffic — an important consideration on projects where construction activity, vehicles and pedestrians all intersect.

“It was great to see AWP Safety’s innovation and expertise in traffic control, which is often an overlooked but critical part of construction,” said Elijah Stong, project engineer at Walsh Group. “Everyone was extremely personable and clearly passionate about the work they do.”

Demonstrating Innovation in Work Zone Safety

As part of the visit, AWP Safety protectors provided a live demonstration of an Automatic Flagger Assistance Device (AFAD) system. The remote-controlled technology helps safely control vehicle movement while reducing the need for workers to stand directly in traffic lanes.

“AFADs are a practical example of how the right technology can change the risk profile of a work zone,” said Matt Walker, AWP Safety territory sales manager in Illinois and surrounding states. “They help create more separation between workers and live traffic while still giving crews a reliable way to manage vehicle movement safely and efficiently.”

Equipped with integrated cameras, the system can also record activity, supporting documentation and accountability in the event of an incident or near miss. The demonstration showed crews how technology can help enhance worker safety while improving traffic flow and driver compliance.

Supporting Safer Projects and Stronger Communities

For Walsh Group, Safety Week was an opportunity to reinforce safe practices on a project that will serve Chicago residents long after construction is complete. Through its collaboration with Walsh Group, AWP Safety helped bring traffic control education, work zone expertise and innovative safety solutions to a project where protecting workers, pedestrians and drivers supports a broader community purpose.

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