|
|
|
DOT honors work zone accident victims |
|
Wednesday, March 17 2010 |
BY BROOKE HUFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
For the past 11 years, the U.S. Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, has taken time out each April to honor and remember those lives lost in highway work zone accidents.
One way of doing this is by hosting National Work Zone Awareness Week every April. DOT and the American Traffic Safety Services Foundation, however, have taken it a step further by establishing “The National Work Zone Memorial-Respect and Remembrance: Reflections of Life on the Road” program. Through this program, people all over the country are given the opportunity to pay their respects to the more than 1,300 people who have died in work zone-related accidents in the United States.
Originally unveiled in April 2002, “The National Work Zone Memorial-Respect and Remembrance: Reflections of Life on the Road” program is a living tribute to the memory of the men, women and children who have lost their lives in work zone-related accidents. It is a traveling exhibit that makes its way to communities across the country to raise public awareness of the need to respect and stay safe in America’s roadway work zones.
After spending several days in the Dallas area, tomorrow the memorial will make a stop in Amarillo on its way to Denver. It will be available for public viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the TxDOT Amarillo Travel Information Center on I-40 at exit 76. Also, at 1:00 p.m. key elected officials, along with other guests, including public and private utility personnel, will address the audience about the importance of work zone safety. The community is invited to stop by as TxDOT honors the 293 Texans whose names are currently on the wall. Everyone in attendance is asked to wear hard hats and safety vests in support of work zone safety.
According to Paul Braun, Public Information Officer with DOT, tomorrow’s visit of the “National Work Zone Memorial” is the first event of its kind ever in Amarillo. The display, which will make five stops across Texas before continuing its journey de, brings to the forefront the reality of work zone fatalities while creating public awareness about safety in work zones all across the country. It promises to be a solemn, yet awe inspiring event, Braun said.
Names on the wall, which is divided into four “interstates,” each of which is divided into six lanes, are arranged alphabetically. A small icon is also placed next to each name, identifying it as a motorist, work zone worker, law enforcement officer, public safety official or child. Names are added based on annual submissions from state departments of transportation, as well as other verifiable sources, and new names are accepted each year through the ATSSA website.
A totally refurbished memorial was unveiled in April 2006 on The National Mall in Washington D.C. during the National Work Zone Awareness Week event. At its highest point, the memorial stands seven feet high, tapering down 10 inches at each section; it is approximately four feet high at its lowest point. It is made up of five sections, each with two graphic panels, for a total of 10 panels.
Altogether, the memorial consists of 36 individual components that join together to form the 10 paneled, 20 foot wide structure. As new manes are confirmed by the Foundation annually, the memorial is updated.
Currently, Braun said, they are working on adding a former Borger resident to the wall for next year. Charles Berry, a Texas Highway Department worker, was killed on February 20, 1961, while working along Highway 152.
To learn more about “The National Work Zone Memorial” and the nationwide tour, visit the ATSSA website at www.atssa.com.
|
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, March 18 2010 )
|
|
|
