Grimm things happening at DOT

The Transportation Department is looking to capitalize on the renewed popularity of fairy tales.

Anyone who pays attention to pop culture knows that fairy tales are enjoying a resurgence in popularity.

At least two popular TV series – NBC’s “Grimm” and ABC’s “Once Upon A Time” – use classic tales as the basis for their stories. (“Grimm” is, of course, a reference to the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, who published versions of fairy tales in 19th-century Germany that remain popular to this day.)

On the big screen, “Snow White and the Huntsman” is set for a June release, “Jack the Giant Killer” comes out next year, and “Red Riding Hood” enjoyed modest success in 2011.

Now the Transportation Department has gotten in on the act, with a public service announcement about the importance of calling 811 for information on underground pipes and cables before digging called “Avoid a Grimm Situation.”

The video takes place in the land called “Fairy Tale Acres,” where the burly working men of Seven Guys Landscaping unload shovels, picks and a powered auger as they prepare to dig.

To read an entry in DOT’s “Fast Lane” blog, click here.