Hundreds gathered in front of the San Luis Obispo Department of Transportation on Wednesday for the annual Caltrans District 5 memorial honoring the eight workers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Several speakers addressed the crowd including Aaron Henkel, the Deputy District Director for Caltrans Maintenance and Traffic Operations. Henkel shared a personal account of a loved one who was killed on the job, and talked about the need for safe driving practices around road maintenance workers.
“You guys have a hard job, you’re making it safe for all the travelers in California," Henkel said. "And, unfortunately, I don’t think everybody really sees you. You’re an obstruction in their way to get from point A to point B sometimes.”
Henkel thanked the Caltrans employees in the crowd for their service, then began reading the names of workers from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara Counties who lost their lives.
For each of the eight names read, a family member presented a single rose on the memorial stone at the front of the building’s courtyard.
Caltrans workers in bright orange vests lowered the flag in the courtyard as a wave of silent mourning swept over the crowd.
Henkel emphasized the importance of slowing down and staying alert for road workers during daily commutes.
“Just be cognizant, there are a lot of people that work on the freeways. Not just Caltrans people, [there are also] contractors, the CHP, ambulance drivers, tow-truck drivers, Henkel said. "Move over. Slow down. Give them a little bit of space so that they can go home to their families tonight, too.”
After the memorial, attendees were invited to join a safety fair to promote awareness for the remainder of the afternoon.