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The Minnesota Department of Transportation will honor the men and women who have been killed or injured while working on state roadways during Worker Memorial Day on  April 28.

Gov. Tim Walz proclaimed April 28 as Worker Memorial Day in Minnesota in recognition of the high price transportation workers have paid in the construction and maintenance of Minnesota’s transportation system.

Since 1960, 35 MnDOT workers and 15 contractors have lost their lives while working on Minnesota highways, according to a press release.

Seven of those MnDOT workers are from southeast Minnesota:

• John Biever. Biever was working on a bridge on Highway 16 when he was hit by a truck Sept. 13,
1962.

• Eugene Mitchell. Mitchell died working for MnDOT while in District 6 on April 23, 1964.

• Earl D. Held. Held died while on a survey crew. He was on Highway 65 when three of the four men were struck by an automobile Oct. 30, 1964.

• Roy Carls. Carls was on his way home from a meeting when his vehicle left the road and hit a bridge
abutment. He died March 2, 1968.

• Jerry Holter. Holter was struck and run over by a truck while performing inspection duties Oct.
16, 1973.

• Grayston Cain. Cain lost his life when he was struck by a truck while he was performing inspection
duties Aug. 28, 1980.

• Thomas Schmit. Schmit fell from a falsework deck suspended under a bridge and drowned in the
Mississippi River on Oct. 21, 1994.

On April 28, the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis will be lit orange. With the governor’s stay-at-home order, MnDOT will not host any public events to observe Worker Memorial Day this year.

“Hundreds of men and women are working on our roadways every day to improve our state’s transportation system,” said Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher. “All Minnesotans share in the responsibility of ensuring these dedicated workers make it home safely to their families at the end of the day.”

MnDOT reminds the public that motorists and passengers suffer the vast majority of work zone deaths and injuries and urges them to follow these recommendations in work zones:

• Stay alert; work zones constantly change due to lane shifts, closures and moving workers and vehicles

• Watch for signs, equipment and workers

• Minimize distractions behind the wheel

• Avoid tailgating

• Follow posted speed limits and directional signs

• Be patient; expect delays, especially during peak travel times

Visit the MnDOT Worker Memorial website to see the list of fallen workers in Minnesota and the worker memorial at MnDOT headquarters.