A Caltrans worker was struck by a car and killed on a San Diego area highway Monday morning.
Richard Gonzalez, 52, of San Ysidro was picking up trash on northbound Interstate 15 at the eastbound State Route 94 on-ramp just before 9 a.m. when he was struck by a car.
He had been with Caltrans since July 2008.
This is the third California Department of Transportation worker death in this district in seven weeks. On May 4, Stephen Palmer Sr died in National City. On June 7, Jaime Obeso, 53, was struck and killed along eastbound Interstate 8 near the Sunbeam Rest Area.
After news of Gonzalez' death, Caltrans ordered all its maintenance workers statewide to stand down from their duties for the rest of the day.
According to Caltrans, all routine or regularly-scheduled highway maintenance activities were halted to revisit and reinforce all aspects of field safety and to ask the public for help.
Caltrans said it would also post messages on its electronic highway message signs reminding motorists to watch out for employees.
Flags were also going to half staff on all Caltrans buildings across the state.
"Every day, highway workers put their lives in danger just by going to work," Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said. "These three tragic incidents are sobering reminders that we all must do everything we can to keep our highways safe. Motorists must slow down, watch out for highway workers and safely move over a lane when passing work crews."
According to Caltrans, highway construction and maintenance work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. They said the risk of death is seven times greater for highway workers than for the average worker.
In January 2007, it became illegal for drivers not to either move over or slow down when they approach a marked Caltrans vehicle with its warning lights on. Then in 2010, state law was expanded to require drivers make a lane change away from emergency vehicles along the shoulder. If a lane change isn't possible, law requires that drivers slow down to a "prudent speed."
