Yesterday, the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, held a ceremony at the State Capitol honoring Caltrans employees who have died in the line of duty since 1924, including three who died in 2007.  Caltrans workers from Amador County were present. Caltrans observed its  Annual Workers Memorial in conjunction with the National Work Zone  Awareness  Week kick-off on the west steps of the State Capitol.

 

The ceremony honored the 170 Caltrans employees  who  have  died  in  the line of duty since 1924, as well as all roadway work zone deaths nationwide. This year the Sacramento memorial marks the  first  time  in history that the national kick-off event is held anywhere outside the metropolitan Washington D.C. area. “Today  we  honor  the  great  sacrifices  that  highway  workers  made and recognize the tremendous loss that their family and friends suffered,” said Caltrans  Director  Will  Kempton. “Everyday they put their lives in danger just by going  to work.” The ceremony included the release of doves, a bagpiper and vehicle wreckage from which an employee narrowly escaped. The Caltrans Honor Guard performed a special tribute for the workers lost nationwide and dedicated a wreath to those killed in 2007. Top leaders in transportation from the state and federal governments, as well as theIndustry, were also in attendance.