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Caltrans poised to honor its fallen workers

By Caroline Moreno
Headquarters External Affairs

Caltrans will hold its annual statewide Fallen Workers Memorial at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 27, on the west steps of the state Capitol. The memorial is a time to remember those who lost their lives building, maintaining, and operating California’s world-class transportation system.

Each year, Caltrans honors its fallen employees at the statewide memorial ceremony on the west steps of the Capitol. Family members, co-workers, friends and the general public are invited to attend the ceremony.

Since 1921, 191 Caltrans employees have lost their lives on the job. One of the biggest hazards highway workers face is inattentive or distracted motorists.

This year we will be paying special tribute to Quanda McGadney, District 4 landscape maintenance worker, and Ali Shabazz, District 6 transportation civil engineer.

Quanda was killed on June 3, 2022, when a driver under the influence speeding and driving erratically crossed onto the shoulder and struck her as she was standing outside her vehicle. He fled and was captured shortly thereafter. He was found to be on active parole, in possession of a firearm and ammunition and multiple syringes containing heroin. He pled no contest and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.

Ali was killed on Aug. 8, 2022, on his way to a job site. Another motorist ran a stop sign and struck his truck. Both individuals succumbed to their injuries at the crash site.

This observance also highlights safety awareness for employees in work zones, as well as the motoring public.

This ceremony will be held in coordination 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. See below for a schedule of district ceremonies.

• Statewide: Thursday, April 27: 11 a.m., Sacramento State Capitol
• District 1: Wednesday, May 17: Virtual
• District 2: Tuesday, April 25: 11 a.m., Adin Maintenance Station, 672150 State Route 299, East Adin
• District 3: Thursday, April 27: 11 a.m., Sacramento State Capitol
• District 4: April 25: 10 a.m., District Office Auditorium, 111 Grand Ave., Oakland
• District 5: Thursday, May 11: 10 a.m., 50 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
• District 6: Wednesday, May 10: 10:30 a.m., Fresno District Office, 1352 W. Olive Ave, Fresno
• District 6: Friday, May 12: 10:30 a.m., Bakersfield Region Office, 1226 Olive Drive, Bakersfield
• District 7: Thursday, May 11: 11 a.m., West Region, 4821 Adohr Lane, Camarillo
• District 8: Tuesday, May 9: TBD, 464 West Fourth St., San Bernardino
• District 9: Wednesday, April 19: 10 a.m., Bishop Maintenance yard at 1250 Spruce St., Bishop
• District 10: Thursday, April 27: 11 a.m., Sacramento State Capitol
• District 11: Tuesday, April 25: 10 a.m., District Office, 4050 Taylor St., San Diego
• District 12: Tuesday, April 25: 10:30 a.m., Batavia Maintenance Station, 1808 N. Batavia St., Orange

Swift, safe SR-140 cleanup shows Caltrans at its best

By Bob Highfill
District 10 information officer

To say this winter was challenging would be an understatement.

On the heels of several consecutive years of wildfires, a seemingly unending parade of severe winter storms and atmospheric river events swept through the state from New Year’s Eve into April. These storms brought flooding, mudslides and other hardships to many who call California home and the millions who travel every day on the state’s transportation network.

Even under tremendous stress, Caltrans’ functional units continued their commitment to be a people-first organization that keeps the traveling public safe and moving.

Caltrans Maintenance performed tirelessly every day to quell numerous weather-related emergencies. In District 10, which encompasses eight counties in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, the calls to duty included clearing drainage systems to relieve flooding; setting up chain controls and road closures with our partners at the California Highway Patrol; removing fallen trees, snow, and ice; and clearing mudslides and rockslides.

Storms affected the Merced River Canyon in Mariposa County, an area susceptible to mudslides and rockslides due to its steep slopes adjacent to State Route 140, an important two-lane highway that serves visitors to Yosemite National Park, the park’s employees, and the surrounding communities.

On March 15, a slide occurred approximately 15 miles east of Briceburg. The amount of material that spilled onto the highway and the tight roadway at the location necessitated a hard closure of State Route 140 between Foresta and El Portal roads for public safety.

Caltrans, in collaboration with the CHP and local partners, set up a detour for motorists to travel around the slide area, and participated with the county’s Emergency Operations Center to inform key stakeholders.

Caltrans’ Merced Maintenance team, led by Superintendent Dave Taylor, and construction partner, Access Limited, deployed an excavator to scale the slope, as well as trucks and other equipment to haul away the material. The initial estimate was one-way traffic control would be required for two weeks before the highway could be fully opened. But Caltrans’ swift and safe actions far exceeded that goal.

On March 28, the slide had been removed, the slope had been stabilized, and both directions of Route 140 were reopened to motorists. There currently is little to no sign that a slide ever occurred.

This is just one of hundreds of examples this winter where Caltrans honored its mission to provide a safe and reliable transportation network for everyone, no matter the challenges.

As Caltrans Director Tony Tavares stated in his message on Feb. 14, “Nothing brings out Caltrans’ best than when we’re responding to Mother Nature’s worst!”

Caltrans’ Gomez is ‘Leading the Way’

The following is an Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria press release distributed on March 20.

District 6 Director Diana Gomez was among the 15 Californians honored by Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (Assembly District 27) in the Central Valley (Fresno, Madera and Merced counties) politicians’ annual Women Leading the Way event.

These honorees are outstanding public servants in their communities, and inspirational examples to young women across Assembly District 27 and beyond.

In addition to Gomez, Soria selected the following:

• Michelle Sandoval, executive director at Los Banos Chamber of Commerce
• Dr. Marie Harris, vice president of learning and Student Success at Madera Community College
• Dr. Kristin Clark, college chancellor at West Hills Community College
• Ana Padilla, executive director at UC Merced Labor Center
• Pana Lee, rape prevention education coordinator at Valley Crisis Center
• Patricia Ramos-Anderson, community advocate, serves on Santa Nella County Water Distribution Board of Directors
• Fabiola Cervantes, founder of Planada en Acción
• Olivia Gomez, board member at Planada Municipal Advisory Committee
• Leonor Hipolito, CEO of Pequeños Empresarios
• Brianna Alyssa Martinez, student and national boxing champion
• Melinda Marshall, vice president and COO of Golden Valley Healthcare
• Socorro Santillan, director of public affairs, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
• May Aung, paramedic firefighter at Coalinga Fire Department
• Dr. Wanda Patrick, Air Force veteran, special education teacher at Weaver Middle School

Assemblywoman Soria highlighted the accomplishments of these amazing women at the annual Women Leading the Way Awards Ceremony and Brunch on March 25.

Caltrans helps Californians spring into action for cleanliness

Note: Headquarters distributed the following press release on March 30.

Thousands of Californians took part in more than 600 “Spring into Action” Clean California Community Days events throughout the state during an 11-day period to clean up roadways, local streets and public spaces.

The series of events from March 17-27 were part of the Clean California initiative, Governor Gavin Newsom’s $1.2 billion, multiyear cleanup effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities to transform public spaces.

“Clean California is empowering communities and restoring pride in our shared spaces up and down the state, and I thank the thousands of Californians who banded together for the Community Days events to beautify and transform their neighborhoods,” said Governor Newsom. “By making a difference at the local level, we are helping create a cleaner, more beautiful California for all.”

Clean California Community Days included:

• Hundreds of local events including: 58 tree planting/gardening events with 363 trees planted; 265 community trash collection events; 202 public community cleanups; 39 educational and entertainment events; and six temporary public art installations.
• 1.64 million pounds of trash collected during the 11-day period – five times the weight of the Statue of Liberty.
• More than 10,500 volunteers participated in community beautification efforts.

“The overwhelming response and participation from Californians throughout the state to transform community spaces demonstrates the power of Clean California,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “With the support of Governor Newsom and the commitment of our communities, we are reducing litter and making lasting positive change.”

“Californians are looking for ways to engage in their communities to green and beautify neighborhoods, and Clean California is a powerful way for them to take action,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday.

Clean California will continue to engage communities and raise awareness on the negative impact litter has on natural resources, waterways, public safety and public health, driving a cultural shift of shared responsibility and instilling community pride for the cleanliness of our roadways and public spaces. The recently launched “Zero Litter is the Goal” campaign focuses on volunteerism, community activation and grassroots partnerships to maintain the positive momentum of Clean California Community Days.

To encourage local-level engagement, Caltrans is also developing a program in which communities throughout the state can earn a special Clean California designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling, and greening or beautifying neighborhoods.

To support communities with tools and resources, Caltrans will be providing downloadable public education materials on topics such as litter prevention, volunteer recruitment, and K-12 materials. Additionally, members of the community are encouraged to continue to organize their own cleanup events and can get started by visiting CleanCA.com.

Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and local partners have removed 1.45 million cubic yards of litter from state highways – the equivalent of more than 24,400 tons or enough trash to fill the Rose Bowl over 3½ times. Caltrans has hired more than 850 team members as part of Clean California. Clean California grants have funded 231 projects to revitalize and beautify underserved communities, some of which are already complete and now sources of community pride. In February, Governor Newsom announced a new round of $100 million in grants for local beautification projects.

Four young people awarded Hveem Scholarships of $2,000

By the Division of Engineer Services

The Francis N. Hveem Memorial Scholarship honors the late Francis N. Hveem, former state materials engineer and chief of the Materials and Research Laboratory in Sacramento. 

The Transportation Laboratory (TransLab) has undergone several reorganizations since Hveem retired but still serves as the hub of materials engineering excellence for Caltrans.  Hveem was a civil engineer specializing in materials.  His contributions to highway engineering have been known worldwide and helped guide the TransLab to international renown. 

The scholarship fund was originally established by a generous bequest from the Hveem family and contributions by TransLab employees.  The fund is regularly augmented through donations and fundraisers to ensure that scholarships may continue to be awarded.

 The purpose of the scholarship is to assist and encourage individuals who are preparing for careers in technical fields that could lead to future employment in materials engineering. Annually, the Francis N. Hveem Memorial Scholarship committee gets together to select finalists who meet the eligibility criteria.

We are very excited to announce this year’s Hveem Scholarship winners:

• Kavitha Segaran
• Ryan Tan
• Cole Rodriguez
• Edmond Siu

These four winners have shown such passion to learning and their community. It is a real pleasure to provide them with a scholarship of $2,000 each.

To donate to the Hveem Scholarship fund, follow this link. All donations to the scholarship fund are tax-deductible.

Learn more about Francis Hveem.

Hats Off

The letter pictured above was shared by the District 5 Public Affairs team.

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The March 12 cover of the San Francisco Chronicle featured a story about the reporter riding along with District 3 snowplow operator Rick Flint.

DOT Shots

District 7 public information officer Marc Bischoff on March 15 stands before a rock slide on State Route 33 in Los Padres National Forest where multiple slides and locations of road, slope and embankment damage have kept the highway closed since January.

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A District 10 crew breaks up and removes a boulder that temporarily blocked one lane of State Route 49 at the Bagby Vista Point in Mariposa County. One-way traffic control was in effect until the material was cleared. The boulder was removed with help from Rob Bickor with the Caples Lake avalanche control team.

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A Caltrans vehicle dwarfed by snow on State Route 88 in Hope Valley near Blue Lakes, in Alpine County, (Photo by Wes Bingham, Peddler Hill maintenance supervisor)

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The CHP and Caltrans are on the scene to assess what needs to be done after a semitruck went into the State Route 108 median divider near Sonora.

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Health and Safety

You can increase your skill and confidence in managing money

By the Employee Assistance Program

The ways in which you manage, spend, and save your money can have a significant impact on your overall wellbeing. People with sound financial health typically aren’t saddled with daily stress and worry over finances, debts, and other money issues. It can be valuable to learn from their habits around money.

People with high levels of financial wellbeing manage their personal finances with skill, and spend their money wisely. They value gaining experiences more than material possessions, they give to others instead of spending on themselves, and they’re generally satisfied with their overall standard of living.

The following tips can become components of good financial health for you.

• Remember that defining your self-worth simply by how much money you have can be harmful to your emotional health. Instead, focus on living in a way that brings you happiness and is consistent with your values.
• Set financial priorities. Decide what matters most to you in life, and think through how you can align your financial situation with those priorities.
• Keep track of your numbers, such as income, expenses, savings, retirement goals, and debt. If debt is a problem for you, work with a money coach (via your EAP) to develop a debt reduction strategy.
• A money coach can look objectively at your finances and offer expert advice on how you can reach various goals, from investing in education to saving for retirement. In addition, they don’t tell you what to do. They make informed recommendations, but your choices about how you allocate your funds are up to you.
• Developing and using a budget will allow you to achieve greater financial freedom and gain control over your spending habits. A budget, in which you record your financial activity (income and all expenditures), is simply a plan for every dollar you have. Find and stick to a budget system that works best for you, whether it’s one of the easily accessible budgeting apps or an online tool through your bank website.
• If you have a partner, blocking out time for regular money talks with them can help avoid money conflicts.

Who’s New

David Man, chief of the Division of Traffic Operations

David Man is Caltrans’ new chief of the Division of Traffic Operations. David will lead the department to the forefront of providing next generation mobility solutions and services that stimulate the economy, strengthen local communities, support climate action, and help save lives in our commitment to zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2050.

Over the past eight months as the acting chief of the Division of Traffic Operations, David has led the team to significant progress on key initiatives that will help maximize system performance and create a safer system, meeting dynamic and evolving demands while preparing the department for a technology‑dependent future.

David’s commitment to charting a new roadmap for Traffic Operations, establishing and expanding critical partnerships, initiating development of a virtual sandbox to test new technologies, forming a new Office of Transformational Mobility, and creating pathways to build on the skills of our workforce will allow our department to deliver on key objectives and to be incubators of new ideas with strategies and people to make them a reality. 

Prior to joining Headquarters, David spent most of his career with Caltrans in one of the most diverse and complex transportation environments, in the Bay Area.  He has been instrumental in pioneering and deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), ensuring successful funding and completion of operational improvement and safety projects, and day‑to‑day management of traffic throughout the Bay Area’s nine counties serving 7.6 million residents and more than 20 million visitors a year.

David is a graduate of UC San Diego with bachelor's degrees in Electrical Engineering and Political Science, and he earned a masters in transportation management from the Mineta Transportation Institute. 

In his personal life, David enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter (currently going through a raucous bout of “terrible twos”) and, of course, the occasional round of golf.

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Rebecca Mowry, office chief for Program Management Office in Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Program

Rebecca Mowry is the new office chief for the Program Management Office in the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Program. 

Rebecca is leading the office responsible for establishing and implementing program guidance and supporting the districts in delivering their portfolio of Middle-Mile Broadband Network projects.

Rebecca brings to her new role a diverse background that incorporates a variety of project delivery functions and spans more than 30 years with Caltrans, including 23 years as a senior transportation engineer.

Most recently, Rebecca served as the Complete Streets subject matter expert in the Division of Design’s Office of Standards and Procedures, where she was the editor of the bicycle, pedestrian and ADA design standards. During this time, she also held a temporary assignment as acting project delivery coordinator where she supported Districts 7 and 12 with navigating the challenges of managing project changes and evaluating complex design decisions.

Prior to her current position, Rebecca worked in District 3 as a project manager assigned primarily to oversight projects sponsored and funded by local agency partners. 

In other roles, Rebecca worked in the Headquarters Division of Construction as the subject matter expert for the Oversight RE Guidelines, and previously in the Division of Design as a design reviewer providing technical support to District designers on geometric highway design.

For the last three years, Rebecca has also served as a voting member of the AASHTO Technical Committee on Non-Motorized Transportation. She has been an active member of WTS Sacramento for more than a decade, receiving the Member of the Year Award in 2019. 

She is a graduate of CSU Sacramento with her bachelor’s in civil engineering. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys traveling with her family and friends including camping, cruising, and scuba diving. 

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Saad Samani, office chief for Alternative Delivery Office in Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Program

Saad Samani is the new office chief for the Alternative Delivery Office in the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative Program. 

Saad leads the office that is responsible for supporting the districts through the development and procurement of the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) and Job Order Contracting (JOC) contracting methods, including coordination of the work orders and work packages that result in construction of the Middle-Mile Broadband Network.

With more than 18 years of experience with Caltrans and more than six years with the city of Sacramento as a project manager and program manager, Saad brings key skills and experience to this new office. In his roles, Saad’s successful collaboration with external and internal partners has built consensus, ensured compliance with federal and state regulations, and strengthened partnerships to meet delivery commitments.

At Caltrans, Saad has worked in Project PID Development, Highway Operations, Construction, Local Assistance and DPAC. Since 2020, he has been an alternative delivery engineer with the Division of Design’s Office of Innovative Design and Delivery, where he has been responsible for developing, implementing and updating policies, procedures and guidelines for Design Build, CMGC, and JOC.

He was the lead alternative delivery engineer responsible for procuring the $2 billion Middle Mile Broadband Network JOCs. He was also the alternative delivery engineer delivering and managing more than $1 billion of CMGC and Design-Build projects, such as the San Barbara 101 HOV Lanes CMGC, Interstate10 Rehabilitation Design Build, and Interstate 405 Multi Asset Design Build. 

As a project manager for the city of Sacramento, Saad was responsible for delivering the Interstate 5 Cosumnes River Blvd Interchange Project and other major city projects while implementing the city’s vision for incorporating safe and economically enticing elements that include all modes of transportations with heavy community input.

In his free time, Saad enjoys spending time with his children, Rakan (15) and Leila (11).

Obituaries

Retired civil engineer John L. "Jack" Bonzey, 89

Note: The following obituary appeared on the Couer d’Alene (Idaho) Post Falls Press on March 5.

Retired Caltrans civil engineer and beloved husband, father, brother and friend Jack Bonzey of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, passed away Feb. 27, a few months shy of his 90th birthday. He was born June 5, 1933, in Worcester, Mass., to John L. and Mary A. (Thomas) Bonzey.

Jack grew up in Auburn, Mass., with his younger brother, Ron. He attended Auburn High School, joined the Navy in October 1950 and was honorably discharged August 1954. He attended Worcester Jr. College, where he achieved a degree in engineering. It was at this time he played semi-pro hockey and was paid $5 a game!

Jack got tired of working in the cold temperatures and headed west to Orange County in 1961 as a surveyor and civil engineer for the Division of Highways. He applied for a position in Eureka, Calif., and headed north. It was here he met his wife, Betty Boggs, from Vacaville, Calif. They married April 2, 1966, in Vacaville and passed through Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on their honeymoon trip to British Columbia. They decided eventually they would retire there. Betty and Jack celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in 2020.

In August 1967, their only child, Michelle, was born. The Bonzey family made their home in Hydesville, Calif., where Jack stayed as a civil engineer and eventually retired as a resident engineer for District 1 Caltrans in October 1993.

Jack was a 4-H Leader, a member of Professional Engineers of California Government, a fuchsia grower, avid gardener and a Model A Ford club member. He was a diehard Boston Bruins Hockey fan dating back to his early ice-skating years. He followed local player Tyler Johnson of the Chicago Black Hawks, but NEVER gave up on the Bruins!

After retirement, Jack and Betty did make their way to Kootenai County. They built and enjoyed operating the beautiful log Ponderosa Bed and Breakfast in Athol for 13 years. In 2009, they sold The Ponderosa and moved to the city of Coeur d’Alene.

Jack is survived by his daughter, Michelle (Cato) Livingston, of Coeur d’Alene; brother Ron (Barbara) Bonzey of Auburn; his nieces, nephews and his special friends that made his life complete: Michael Stapleton, The Sweens, Bob Burton and The Wurmlingers. Jack will be happily remembered and sadly missed. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, in October 2020, and his parents.

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Heavy equipment mechanic Jose Padilla

Note: The following announcement was emailed to all Caltrans staff on Feb. 22 by Robert S. Myers, chief of the Division of Equipment.

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the loss of one of our DOE family members. Jose Padilla, a heavy equipment mechanic at Shop 7, passed Feb. 17 at the age of 57.

Jose joined the Shop 7 family on June 22, 2015, and quickly became the cornerstone of the shop. Jose set the bar high!

He was always respectful, courteous, hardworking, and very humble. His positive attitude towards life always came with a smile.

In 2022, Jose was nominated as DOE’s employee spotlight and because of his humility, declined being recognized publicly and simply stated, “he was only doing his job.”

Jose touched the lives of many, and as we mourn this sudden and tragic loss of our colleague and friend, I ask you to  keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

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Retired Caltrans worker Francis Sweet

Note: The following obituary appeared on The Lost Coast Outpost (Humboldt County) on Feb. 2.

Retired Caltrans worker Francis Sweet passed away on Jan. 26 in Fortuna.

Francis was born in Ferndale in 1933 and graduated from Ferndale High in 1951. During high school he worked at the Ferndale Enterprise. While in high school Francis was involved in FFA, and that is where he was introduced to raising sheep. Francis was a private in the Army serving two years in Korea. Upon his return from Korea he went back to work for the Connick Livestock Company and then Caltrans, where he retired, enabling him to ranch full-time in Petrolia.

Francis was an active member of the community and had many varied interests. Francis belonged to the Korean Veterans group and at the time of his passing was their vice president. He was a member of the VFW in Ferndale. Francis belonged to the Danish Lodge for 62 years and had passed through all the chairs at various points, he belonged to the Dania Lodge, he was a member of the Adult Danish Dance Team, performing at the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival each year.

Francis was a member of the California Wool Growers association for 64 years, holding various positions during that time, assisting with the annual Wool Growers lamb barbecue in Fortuna. Francis belonged to the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Ferndale.

Francis was very knowledgeable of our local Humboldt County and Ferndale history and his own ancestors and their journey to Ferndale. Many reached out to Francis to identify people or places in old photos.

Francis loved to play cards, especially Pedro. Francis held an annual 4th of July picnic out at the ranch in Petrolia and provided pit lamb and a dance floor for those who knew how to do a polka. Francis loved to dance — square dancing and Danish folk dancing were two of his favorites.

Francis is survived by Delores Scales, his children, Connie HagQuist (Ron), Becky Sweet, Sandy Aguiar, Clara Sherrill (Gary) and Daniel Barney (Silvana). He is also survived by his 16 grandchildren, Hannah HagQuist, Rachel HagQuist, Justin Ammons, Crystal Sweeney, Alexis Aguiar, Mariah Aguiar, Ray Sherill, Keith Sherrill, Amanda Bunnell, Katina DeNune, Jamie DeNune, Tony DeNune, Clayton Johnson, Jessie Johnson, Kevin Barney and Tamara Barney and 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great great-grandchildren. Francis was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Mildred Sweet, his second wife Lorana Sweet, daughters, Lynne Johnson and Dona Callender, son-in-law Mark DeNune, granddaughter Lorana Johnson and great-grandson Wesley.