News 4 Investigates examines how other states are protecting road crews after deadly MoDOT crash

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) – A lethal MoDOT work zone crash is prompting the people of all those afflicted to simply call on the point out to do far more to secure its personnel.

In November 2021, a driver strike a MoDOT striping crew operating on Telegraph Street in the vicinity of I-255 in South County. The crash killed 58-calendar year-aged James Brooks and 25-yr-aged Kaitlyn Anderson, who was almost 6 months pregnant with her son Jaxx. A 3rd MoDOT worker, Michael Brown, survived but endured lifelong accidents.

“I have no notion how I’m likely to deal with my coronary heart,” claimed Tonya Musskopf, speaking for the initial time exclusively to News 4 Investigates.

Musskopf sits surrounded by child items she’ll never get to see her grandson, Jaxx, use.

“Our loved ones is ruined, I have a whole nursery at my property,” Musskopf reported. “If MoDOT would have accomplished the suitable issue, Kaitlyn would continue to be right here.”

Crash documents from Missouri Condition Freeway Patrol (MSHP) take note the crew was in a plainly marked perform zone, but cones, flashing lights, and an electronic flashing arrow did not stop the driver.

“Every time I see a cone, being aware of that is the only defense my daughter had, my heart breaks,” Musskopf extra.

In the earlier five several years, five MoDOT staff died in perform zone crashes.

Information 4 Investigates tried to inquire MoDOT if it’s taking into consideration any basic safety alterations. The division responded in an e mail composing, “we are not undertaking interviews.”

Information 4 Investigates turned to other states and checked Section of Transportation documents to see how Missouri compares.

Because 2017, Illinois, which has extra than double the inhabitants of Missouri, shed 6 IDOT workers in perform zones. In that very same time time period, Arkansas missing 3 ARDOT employees, Iowa misplaced 2 employees, and Kansas dropped 1 KDOT worker.

“We’re putting up message boards about get the job done zones, prior to zones,” explained KDOT Director of Staff Protection Troy Whitworth. “We try to have legislation enforcement in our get the job done zones anytime they are obtainable.”

Notably, Tennessee, which has a related inhabitants sizing to Missouri, experienced no employee fatalities.

“The hazards have in no way been greater on our transportation system,” mentioned Jay Norris, Director of Occupational Well being and Protection at the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation.

Norris defined that his position was designed after 2016 when the state dropped 3 employees in get the job done zones.

“We want each worker to go residence just about every night,” Norris explained.

It’s a objective Tennessee met the previous 5 a long time. Norris said the division recognized far more motorists weren’t spending notice on the highway. Which is why he claimed they invested much more in “Truck-Mounted Attenuators” identified as TMA’s. They’re portable barriers meant to preserve lives.

“We have a 130 routine maintenance crews statewide, we produced guaranteed each individual had a single,” Norris additional.

He explained the concentration has been receiving additional TMA’s in busier, city areas where by some crews are assigned various TMA’s.

“We want to make sure we’re likely above and further than the bare minimum normal,” Norris reported.

Again in Missouri, TMA’s are obtaining hit a lot more. A the latest News 4 Investigation uncovered how the amount of TMA’s strike nearly doubled in the earlier two decades and MoDOT doesn’t normally require that included safety.

Beneath MoDOT coverage, TMA’s are optional if the speed restrict is below 45 mph. On Telegraph Street. the velocity is 40 mph, there was no TMA very last November. Alternatively, the crew experienced the truck they drove in and were operating off the back again of, together with cones marking the shut lane.

“What about the a few life that are driving that truck, are you going to put a value on these lives?” Musskopf reported.

There is no nationwide typical when it will come to TMA’s, every point out sets its personal principles.

“They tailor their needs to their certain requirements,” claimed Gerald Ullman, a Senior Analysis Engineer at Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute.

Gerald Ullman appears to be at function zone security throughout the country. He phone calls boundaries the best alternative but states just one major explanation they’re not always utilised is value. In those people conditions, Ullman states there are other choices.

“Portable rumble strips are being employed by some organizations upstream of operate spots to run about them, shakes the vehicle,” Ullman claimed.

Information 4 Investigates questioned Ullman what he thought it would take to access the purpose of “zero operate zone fatalities.”

“Distracted driving to me is in all probability the best cause of issues that we’re observing,” Ullman answered.

Musskopf wishes protection alterations at MoDOT.

“I have termed the governor, I have repeatedly referred to as senator after senator,” she explained. “I’ll by no means stop preventing.”

Musskopf also attained out to OSHA and questioned if it would open up an investigation to see if her daughter’s crew was adequately guarded. OSHA despatched again a letter declaring it, “does not have jurisdiction about condition staff.”

In the end Musskopf suggests she wishes no other family to know the loss she life with just about every working day.

“I pray each individual working day when I see a function zone they go property at the conclusion of the day, sadly, we did not get that fortunate,” she explained.

Considering the fact that the crash, Musskopf says folks will send her pics displaying MoDOT crews doing work on streets with no any protecting obstacles.

Musskopf claims her relatives is contemplating using legal motion against the condition.

MoDOT declined various requests for an job interview with Information 4 Investigates. However, pursuing a new Information 4 Investigation, the Director of MoDOT, Patrick McKenna, sent a letter to the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s office environment asking them to file prices against the driver.

News 4 Investigates asked many states about their TMA use. Below are the responses acquired:

Concern:

What is the policy about Truck/trailer-mounted attenuators (TMA’s)? Are there any times when crews are expected to use a TMA?

Answers:

Arkansas: ARDOT on a regular basis makes use of truck and trailer-mounted attenuators (TMAs) in different upkeep operations through the condition. ARDOT follows the national standard, which is the Manual on Uniform Traffic Regulate Products (MUTCD), for setting up do the job zone site visitors management. The MUTCD offers the guidance and standard applications for when TMAs are used, and there are various usual apps for numerous forms of operate zones. For illustration, ARDOT would utilize TMAs for a Mobile Operation (lane closure) on a multi-lane roadway. TMA’s are not ordinarily employed for a solitary-lane closure with a flagger on a two-lane roadway.

Illinois: Ahead of IDOT servicing workers commence do the job in the subject, the essential protections are determined via the department’s website traffic management field guide and based on the variety of get the job done having place, the type of street or facility and anticipated site visitors volumes. Numerous of the perform zone scenarios call for the use of truck- and trailer-mounted attenuators. The section maintains schooling to make sure personnel are conscious of needs and perhaps hazardous predicaments in the subject.

Maryland: The Maryland Department of Transportation Condition Freeway Administration (MDOT SHA) necessitates security autos, these as mounted attenuators, for all roadway and roadside operate where posted pace restrictions are 55 mph or increased. This rule applies for both of those stationary and mobile operations.

Wisconsin: WisDOT demands truck/trailer-mounted attenuators (TMA’s) for several eventualities which are outlined in the WisDOT Work Zone Area Handbook.

Query:

Are there any other basic safety insurance policies the department of transportation is using to enable prevent operate zone fatalities and secure street crews?

Answers:

Arkansas: As described earlier mentioned, ARDOT has adopted and follows the MUTCD, which sets least requirements and presents guidance and uniformity of all traffic control equipment in our condition and throughout the nation. ARDOT has a safety manual that describes several safety guidelines that have been set up for the safety and basic safety of the employees and traveling general public. ARDOT utilizes normal individual protecting gear, these kinds of as Course 3 security vests to be operate at all periods when in any perform zone, tricky hats, chain noticed chaps, and more. ARDOT supplies normal protection training for staff members and supervisors. ARDOT proceeds to spend in security enhancements for function zones, this sort of as TMAs, Automatic Flagger Management products, Automatic Get the job done Zone Info Units (AWIS), short-term portable rumble strips. ARDOT just lately started utilizing wearable security gentle products for crews doing the job at evening in our metro spots and is looking at expanding the use statewide. ARDOT also has a individual internet site (iDriveArkansas.com) particularly focused to road problems and site visitors updates in genuine-time. We deliver out community notices for lane closures or any style of traffic disruption because of to a highway job. The Arkansas Highway Police are a subsection within just ARDOT that assistance protect against and handle visitors incidents on highways and interstates, such as via pace enforcement, imposing truck restrictions, and getting a existence in work zones. Final but not the very least, we launched a marketing campaign in February 2022 named “Slow Down, Cellphone Down” that especially focuses on cracking down on distracted driving in perform zones: https://www.ardot.gov/slowdownphonedown/.

Maryland: MDOT SHA strictly follows the Handbook on Uniform Visitors Control Devices (MUTCD), which gives lane closure, flagging, temporary targeted traffic manage devices and requirements. The Maryland manual can be located right here

Additionally, MDOT SHA executed a short-term targeted visitors manage inspection rating program. Via this technique, the work zone inspector fees the do the job zone to make sure all of the non permanent traffic management devices are appropriately placed. MDOT SHA’s momentary visitors management devices are processed independently to guarantee the devices’ success and that they meet the specifications to secure function zone crews.MDOT SHA strictly follows the Manual on Uniform Site visitors Control Units (MUTCD), which provides lane closure, flagging, temporary targeted traffic manage gadgets and standards. The Maryland handbook can be found here

Furthermore, MDOT SHA applied a temporary targeted visitors manage inspection ranking procedure. By way of this program, the function zone inspector fees the operate zone to make absolutely sure all of the short-term visitors handle devices are the right way positioned. MDOT SHA’s short-term traffic management gadgets are processed independently to make certain the devices’ efficiency and that they fulfill the requirements to secure do the job zone crews.

Wisconsin: WisDOT area staff members are demanded to receive teaching on many subjects. Some initiatives related to operate zone security contain the escalating use of technological know-how:

– Intelligent perform zones

– Speed feed-back indicators

– Lane Closure Technique

In addition, the next endeavours are component of WisDOT’s emphasis on safety in perform zones:

– Freeway Assistance Groups to take away automobiles in a timely trend

– Regulation enforcement mitigation

– Speed restrict reductions

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