Giant Barrel Cowboy Teaches Road Safety

0:00A giant cowboy sculpture made from old traffic barrels is tipping his hat to drivers along a west Texas road this week. Name Tex, the 10-foot tall figure stands tall in San Angelo, built entirely from retired cones and barrels that no longer pass safety checks. It's part of the Texas Department of Transportation's push to get folks to slow down in work zones during National Work Zone Awareness Week. This creative twist ties into their B-save drive smart campaign, where workers craft these eye-catching pieces stay wide. San Angelo joins spots like El Paso, home to a dinosaur called Safe T-Rex and a snake named Safe T-Jake, all reminding drivers to stay alert around. Construction Locals love it, families pull over for photos, turning these barrel buddies into roadside stars. Maintenance crews say, starting safety lessons young sticks with kids, making the message hit home without feeling like a lecture. The fun scales of Big and Houston, with barrel squids, rockets and gators that roll through

1:00the R-car parade, drawing 300,000 viewers. Employees build them on their own time, keeping costs low while grabbing attention. With thousands of work zones dotting Texas roads, these sculptures drive home the point. Behind every orange barrel, real people keep our highways, safe and moving. I'm Corey with the story. That's your Dallas News Today update, AI-powered and always on.