Dec 10, 2019 2 min read

The state Department of Transportation has announced a statewide effort to memorialize fallen employees with bridge dedications.

PennDOT described itself as being in the initial stages to memorialize those who died while on duty since 1970.

The department hopes to work with the General Assembly to pass a naming authorization bill in the spring of 2020.

Those identified in a press release as having lost their lives while at work or dying on their way to work include, from District 12, Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, are Thomas Haragos of Fayette, who died Oct. 3, 1974; Robert Queen, who died Oct. 31, 1978; and Joseph Couch of Washington County, who died Sept. 18, 1990.

“Our employees put their lives at risk every day to improve and maintain Pennsylvania’s infrastructure,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards in a news release. “Through this initiative, we hope to permanently honor those employees who we’ve lost in the line of duty.”

PennDOT seeks to name a bridge after each fallen PennDOT worker as an acknowledgement of his or her service. Each bridge will be marked with a sign that includes the worker’s name as a reminder to motorists to slow down in work zones.

Department staff will seek family members with whom to discuss the program. It does not have the names of all next-of-kin due to the time span since the employee died.

A complete list of 89 employees identified for the proposed bridge-naming program can be found at https://www.penndot.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/TrafficSafetyAndDriverTopics/WorkZone/Pages/Workers-Memorial.aspx/.

There is a statewide memorial in downtown Harrisburg and a traveling memorial based in PennDOT’s District 3, Bradford County maintenance office.