With 15 more bridges to go and road work space shrinking at the Springfield Interchange, work zone safety becomes more tedious, according to Larry Cloyed, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) chief engineer on the project.
"The last segment is in many ways our most difficult segment. A lot of that is in a very confined area," Cloyed said.
Transportation officials stood in that confined area on Tuesday, April 5, recognizing VDOT's Work Zone Awareness Week, April 4-10. Over the years, three construction crew fatalities have occurred at the site, which is not acceptable to Cloyed.
"It's three more than should be acceptable," Cloyed said.
Another fatality on May 9 caught the attention of Federal Highway administrator Mary Peters, who addressed the crowd from a desk set up in the midst of the project. This is the fifth annual National Work Zone Awareness Week, inspired by VDOT's annual campaign. Its theme is "The people who build our highways work where you drive." That was represented with Peter's desk, in the shadow of a 120-foot overpass, where a worker fell to his death months before. She talked about one of the latest fatalities.
"On the morning of May 9 of last year, David Hamm and his four-person crew were filling potholes on the Duke Street bridge over 1-395, just a few miles from here. A motorist struck the rear of another vehicle slowing in the work zone, lost control, and entered a right lane of the work zone. James Cameron was hit and thrown off the overpass onto I-395 northbound, where he was struck by several vehicles and died at the scene. Hamm and his crew could only watch as their co-worker fell to his death," Peters said.
Hamm described the scene.
"The car went out of control in the grass. Most times, it's speed and not paying attention," Hamm said.
Nationwide, work zone fatalities are increasing, according to VDOT statistics. In 2002, there were 663 crashes, 376 injuries and seven fatalities. Preliminary reports for 2003 show that 16 people died and 265 people were injured in 483 highway work zone crashes. Texas had the highest number of work zone fatalities in 2002 with 192.
Traffic continued to roll on I-95 down below, as Peters left the audience with a suggestion.
"We ask that when drivers move through this office, they slow down, stay alert and be patient," she said.