HARRISBURG, Pa. - Since 1970, more than 80 PennDOT workers have lost their lives on the job. A special memorial has made its way to Pennsylvania to honor their memory.
PennDOT and Turnpike officials held a special ceremony in Harrisburg to honor the fallen. It's part of the National Highway Worker's memorial that's traveling through the area. The memorial includes 85 posts topped with hard hats and draped with safety vests to represent each life that has been lost.
"Each hard hat represents a person, it's not just a number here," PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards. " And we need to keep our workers safe, and every worker deserves to come home safely to their families.
Every year, high way workers are killed as a result of construction zone crashes, and officials are using this memorial as an opportunity to promote safety.
"People have to remember that when they're in a car, they must to give the full attention to driving," Richards said. "People drive everyday, and they just have to be reminded that when they're in a vehicle, vehicles can cause big accidents."
The memorial travels to communities cross-country and year-round to raise awareness about roadway safety.