Caltrans honors workers killed on duty with new memorial signs, including one near Merced
Caltrans announced Wednesday that it has unveiled a memorial sign at a roadside rest area along Highway 99 near Merced, honoring eight workers who have died while on-duty in the past 60 years.
The new sign, located at the Enoch Christofferson rest area, is one of several memorial being placed throughout California. Each sign was designed by Caltrans workers to recognize the 191 highway workers who have been killed on-duty since 1921 and to encourage travelers to drive responsibly, Caltrans District 10 said in a news release.
“We hold a sacred duty to remember all the people who have lost their lives working with us, and I implore all Californians to please slow down and move over in every work zone,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said in the news release.
The fallen workers memorialized on the sign are:
▪ Jethro Cravens, maintenance worker, 1964
▪ Gilbert Gibeau, equipment operator, 1967
▪ William McLaughlin, assistant highway engineer, 1969
▪ Harry Simons, engineering technician, 1977
▪ Roland Keller, assistant transportation engineer, 1983
▪ Oscar Lanatta, civil engineer, 1990
▪ Chester Hawkins, equipment operator, 2004
▪ Donald Lichliter, tree maintenance lead worker, 2009
No employee has died in the line of duty since 2009, according to Caltrans District 10.
Highway construction and maintenance work is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2022, Caltrans announced a new director’s policy on road safety, which aims to reach zero fatalities and serious injuries on state highways by 2050.
Furthermore, Caltrans has partnered with the California Transportation Foundation to develop funds to benefit the families of Caltrans workers killed on the job.
Angela Rodriguez: 916-321-1065, @_angelayvette_
