Who is Barrel Bob?
Barrel Bob, a 10-foot tall, orange barrel man, is pointing the way to safe travels through the kcICON corridor. Bob will remain a fixture on the kcICON Project, using a message board to remind motorists to slow down. Barrel Bob was constructed by Robert Ohl, an employee of Clarkson Construction Company, out of concern for his safety and the safety of his fellow workers. Speed has been a contributing factor in several accidents and property damage in the corridor. Robert donated 10 hours of personal time on a weekend and used decomissioned barrels to build Barrel Bob. Robert was inspired by a North Carolina university student and street artist who last year created a similar creature from stolen orange barrels. While he doesn’t condone the theft, Robert does support the idea of using a little creativity to draw attention to a serious public awareness issue: work zone safety.
