The Hazards Of Removing Road Debris

Wednesday, June 6th 2007, 10:32 am

By: News On 6

An ODOT worker was hit and killed on a busy Tulsa highway Wednesday. Police say Robert Cherry was dragging tree limbs off of Highway 169, near I-244 when he was run over by a dump truck. ODOT says the worker was just doing his job, removing road debris trying to keep other drivers safe. The News On 6â€™s Heather Lewin reports it's a situation they say hundreds of state employees are confronted with, almost on a daily basis, but is running out into speeding traffic the safest way to handle road debris?

â€œWe have debris up on the highways up and down. Anybody that drives can see that, you know, any day of the week," said Randle White of ODOT.

From blown tires, to downed road signs, garbage and more, Green Country drivers have to be alert to avoid the unexpected. Highway safety officials say nationwide road debris causes 25,000 accidents and nearly 100 deaths every year some, highway workers trying to clear the lanes.

â€œThese are all really hard working, good people just trying to make a living, and they work in harm's way every day,â€ said Gary Ridley of ODOT. â€œThere's nothing between them and a 70,000 pound vehicle running 70 miles an hour."

Ridley says ODOT veteran Robert Cherry was safety trained. Ridley says removing a major hazard would merit a lane closure, but smaller debris is handled on a case by case basis.

â€œIt depends on the situation that you're in, obviously when there's debris on the road it's critical to get it removed," said White.

â€œIt's so sad,â€ said Tulsa Police Sgt. Stephanie Jackson. â€œHe was trying to make it safer for drivers and unfortunately he was killed trying to make the road safer for others."

Two thousand, four hundred ODOT employees work next to high speed traffic. Supervisors say they know the dangers.

"But you never get ready,â€ said Ridley. â€œNo one gets ready for a catastrophic event like this."

Cherry worked for ODOT for nearly a decade. Officials say they'll wait for the police report to determine if he followed policy and whether any changes need to be made.

In contrast to Oklahoma methods, workers in Washington state invented a debris pusher, a large basket that fits onto a truck like a snowplow, allowing hazards to be removed more safely.

Watch the video: The Dangers Of Keeping Our Roads Clean