California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 130

Introduced by Assembly Member Gomez

February 1, 2016

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 130—Relative to the Caltrans District 7 Fallen Worker Memorial Interchange.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 130, as introduced, Gomez. Caltrans District 7 Fallen Worker Memorial Interchange.

This measure would dedicate the interchange at State Highway Route 2 and Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County as the Caltrans District 7 Fallen Worker Memorial Interchange. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Highway construction is one of the most dangerous
occupations in the United States. The risk of death is seven times
higher for highway workers than for an average worker, according
to a study conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration of the United States Department of Labor; and

WHEREAS, There have been 183 Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) workers killed on the job since 1921. On average, 1,000
Caltrans vehicles are struck each year. In addition to the danger
to workers, an estimated 85 to 90 percent of people who are killed
in highway work zones are drivers and their passengers; and

WHEREAS, On April 24, 2013, two Caltrans maintenance
employees lost their lives at a massive rockslide along State Route
96 in Siskiyou County. They were specialized rock scalers who
died while working to prevent rocks from falling onto motorists.
Shawn Baker of Weed, California, who was 50 years of age at the
time, is survived by his wife and four children. Joseph “Robert”
Jones of Montague, California, who was 40 years of age at the
time, left behind his wife and three children. A third rock scaler,
Kevin Skillen of Yreka, California, was severely injured; and

WHEREAS, The deaths of Shawn Baker and Robert Jones ended
a two-year stretch of Caltrans not having had a maintenance
employee fatality on the job. Most recently, on May 2, 2013,
another Caltrans worker, Dean Patton of Grass Valley, California,
who was 51 years of age at the time, was fatally hit by a motorist
while on his way to the 23rd annual statewide Caltrans worker
memorial ceremony held on the west steps of the State Capitol to
honor Caltrans workers who have died on the job, including Joseph
Jones and Shawn Baker; and

WHEREAS, In addition to law enforcement and Department of
California Highway Patrol officers, contracted highway workers
are also at risk of death. The latest data shows that speeding was
a factor in more than 35 percent of all fatal work zone crashes.
Most work zone fatalities are the result of rear-end collisions
caused by driver distraction, inattention, and aggressive driving;
and

WHEREAS, Caltrans has adopted a “Slow for the Cone Zone”
campaign to raise public awareness and to ask motorists to be alert
and slow down, allow extra following room, expect sudden stops,
never drive impaired, and avoid distractions, including the use of
cell phones, in highway work zones. Fines are doubled in highway
work zones and can easily total $1,000 or more for drivers who
speed, drive aggressively, text or are otherwise distracted, or cause
collisions in a highway work zone; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, Caltrans installed 100 permanent “Move
Over” signs throughout California to promote Senate Bill 240
(Chapter 175 of the Statutes of 2010), the Move Over law, which
requires drivers on a freeway to move over a lane if safe to do so,
or slow down, when approaching a stationary authorized emergency
vehicle or a stationary authorized Caltrans vehicle that is displaying
flashing amber warning lights; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature desires to promote the safe
operation of motor vehicles in and through all highway and freeway
work zones and the use caution and care when the motoring public
sees the state work force working along the state’s highways. The
Legislature strives to promote the safety of all state employees by
serving notice to motorists who travel upon and commute daily in
and through the state to be cognizant of those who have given their
lives to provide safe, consistent mobility of travel seven days a
week, 24 hours a day; and

WHEREAS, Caltrans District 7 has diligently strived to
eliminate worker fatalities through training, safe practices, and
implementation of features to lessen the exposure of maintenance
personnel upon the state’s highways. Considerable efforts have
yielded no fatalities in District 7 since the year 2000. It is therefore
important that a memorial interchange in District 7 be established
at a time where improvement can be cited rather than a rush to
announce another fatality; and

WHEREAS, A Caltrans District 7 Fallen Worker Memorial
Interchange should be dedicated to the men and women who have
served California as transportation professionals deserving of
recognition for the highest sacrifice, while performing their duties
on the state highway system. State highway workers in District 7
have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving the state with 31
fatalities since 1921; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature dedicates the interchange
at State Route 2 and Interstate 5 in Los Angeles County as the
Caltrans District 7 Fallen Worker Memorial Interchange; and be
it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect those signs; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.