The Virginia Department of Transportation recently honored the 20-year anniversary of a memorial built to remember highway workers killed in the line of duty statewide.
[Above photo by Virginia DOT]
Originally dedicated on September 17, 2004, the monument now contains the names of 134 Virginia DOT workers; many of whom died as the result of work zone crashes.
The monument also plays a key role as the site of a vigil held in honor of the annual National Work Zone Awareness Week safety campaign.
The Virginia DOT noted in a statement that, from 2014 to 2024, more than 35,000 work zone-related crashes have occurred statewide; averaging out to approximately 10 work zone-related crashes every single day. In that same 10-year period, there have been 15,677 work zone-related injuries and 142 fatalities, including other drivers and contractors.
The agency added that it built the monument entirely with donated funds and services from Virginia DOT employees, family members, businesses and organizations throughout the state. No state funds were used in its construction.
Other state departments of transportation have also built memorials to workers who died in the line of duty engaged in a variety of transportation infrastructure-related tasks.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation, for example, also holds annual remembrance ceremonies at its fallen worker memorial as well.
Employees at the West Virginia Department of Transportation actually designed and built the agency’s fallen worker memorial seven years ago.
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