Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
California doesn't always have the most pristine highways in the country, but things would be a lot worse if it weren't for a brave crew of road warriors. We sometimes take them for granted, but Caltrans maintenance workers literally risk their lives to clean up our highways.
All manner of important and unimportant items get lost on our highways and highway embankments, and someone has to clean it all up. This is a dangerous job, because inattentive or reckless drivers often fail to see slow-moving Caltrans vehicles until a car accident is imminent.
Just how important is this service that they provide? We recently posted about the herd of escaped goats which caused a complete shutdown of Interstate 5. Over 40 goats were injured as they crossed the highway and they had to be humanely killed at the accident site. One driver reported that there was blood everywhere. Yet a local Caltrans crew was there to clean it all up and things were back to normal by the next day.
Caltrans crew members say they find everything along our highways. Sometimes the items are as big as Christmas trees or couches. More commonly, passengers lose car bumpers, luggage on its way to the airport, and many cell phones and wallets. Most identifiable items get returned to their owners.
We bring up these important and unsung heroes for two reasons. First, Caltrans officials advise us not to go back for our own lost valuables. If you just lost your cell phone out the car window it may be tempting to pull over and try to find it. This can be a very dangerous choice, and drivers are urged to just wait for a Caltrans crew to find it instead.
Second, we want to remind all drivers to be attentive on the highway. When Caltrans crews are picking up highway debris they are often cruising slowly along the shoulder and stopping every 100 yards. Please remember to keep an eye out for them to avoid a collision which could cause injury to yourself and workers.
Cleaning up our highways is dirty job, but someone has to do it. Let's be thankful that our dedicated crew of Caltrans maintenance workers is there to keep our highways safe and clean.
Source: The Sacramento Bee online, "Caltrans crews risk lives to clean up tons of stray stuff on freeways," Carlos Alcalá, 02 March 2011
