The Caltrans Honor Guard dedicated and added a cone to the caution sign diamond formation at last year’s Statewide Workers Memorial, as they will this year. The cones represent each Caltrans employee lost since 1921, and one black cone represents all the other service personnel killed while working on California’s highways. Photo by Headquarters 
By Erin Gallup von Tersch
Caltrans Public Information Officer
Each year, at the start of the construction season, Caltrans holds memorial ceremonies throughout the state to honor and remember employees who lost their lives building, maintaining, and operating California’s world-class transportation system. Caltrans has lost 185 employees on the job since 1921.
This year, Caltrans is paying special tribute to District 7 Electrician 1 Jorge Lopez, who was struck by an errant big rig that crossed onto the shoulder while Lopez was getting into his vehicle on State Route 14 on Sept. 1, 2016.
Publicly honoring those lost in the line of duty reminds others of the importance of work zone safety. Highway workers should always be cognizant of their surroundings and that of their coworkers’ and motorists should Be Work Zone Alert.
Caltrans Electrician 1 Jorge Lopez was struck by an errant big rig on State Route 14 Sept. 1, 2016.
Photo by District 7
The annual statewide Caltrans Fallen Workers Memorial will be held at 11:30 a.m. April 27 on the west steps of the State Capitol, in conjunction with Caltrans’ Safety Awareness Week. Attendance at this ceremony, or your local Workers Memorial, can satisfy the two-hour requirement for Safety Awareness Week participation. Here is a list of the district memorials that will be held throughout the state:
District 1: 11 a.m. April 19 at the District Office at 1656 Union St. in Eureka
District 2: 10 a.m. May 2 at the Burney Maintenance Station, 37334 State Highway 299 E., Burney
District 3: 11:30 a.m. April 27 on the west steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento
District 4: 10 a.m. April 19 at the District Office at 111 Grand Ave. in Oakland
District 5: 10 a.m. May 2 at the District Office at 50 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo
District 6: 10:30 a.m. April 19 at the District Office at 1352 W. Olive Ave. in Fresno
District 6: 10:30 a.m. April 21 at the South Region Maintenance Station at 1226 Olive Drive in Bakersfield
District 7: 10:30 a.m. May 2 at the District Office at 100 South Main St. in Los Angeles
District 8: 10 a.m. May 4 at the District Office at 464 W. 4th St. at the Memorial Wall in San Bernardino
District 9: 11 a.m. May 11 at the Bishop Maintenance Yard at 1250 Spruce St. in Bishop
District 10: 11:30 a.m. April 27 at the State Capitol west steps in Sacramento
District 11: 9 a.m. April 25 at the District Office at 4050 Taylor St. in San Diego
District 11: 9 a.m. May 2 at the El Centro Maintenance Yard at 1102 Montenegro Way in El Centro
District 12: 10 a.m. May 3 at the Batavia Maintenance Station at 1808 N. Batavia St. in Orange