HELENA, Mont. - On Tuesday, April 16, Governor Gianforte joined the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week to honor MDT employees who have tragically passed away in the course of their service to the state of Montana.
“It is an honor to recognize this tribute to the men and women who have passed away while doing this noble job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “No words can fully cover the pain and sacrifice of the families of those recognized through this memorial but let us take this as an opportunity to come together in sorrow and lift them up.”
One individual who shared the story of a loved one who passed was Melissa Dykeman, a widow who tragically lost her husband, Jeff, in a work zone crash in 2018.
“Our lives will forever be affected. We will always have an empty seat at our table for Jeff,” Melissa said. “You have a choice. Please don’t choose to do drugs or drink alcohol and get behind the wheel.”
MDT holds a commemoration of National Work Zone Awareness Week annually at the start of construction season in order to encourage drivers to exercise safe driving practices through highway work zones.
During this year's ceremony, MDT shared driving statistics indicating that from 2017 to 2022, there were nearly 1,000 crashes in work zones in Montana. Nearly 10% of those incidents involved an impaired driver.
“These statistics show that attention is needed at all times especially when you’re behind the wheel,” said Rob Stapley, MDT Rail Transit and Planning Division Administrator.
The memorial was dedicated in honor of the following MDT employees who tragically lost their lives on the job:
Gerald Williams, Glendive District Maintenance, 1964
Vernon Winship, Great Falls Equipment Shop, 1966
Harry Paulsen, Glendive District Maintenance, 1970
Gary Flaten, Glendive District Maintenance, 1980
Baron "Skip" Gray, Missoula District Maintenance, 1983
Rodney L. Phillips, Helena Traffic Engineer, 1986
John Rife, Billings District Construction, 1988
Duane "Dewey" Novakovich, Glendive District Construction, 1991
Gary Steffensmier, Great Falls Maintenance, 1996
Eldon Patterson, Helena Equipment Shop, 1996
Frank Broticky, Great Falls Maintenance, 2003
Gerald C. Bratlien, Great Falls Right of Way, 2004
Betty Canoy, Great Falls Right of Way, 2004
Dixie DeCoudres, Glendive District Construction, 2011
Jason Rolls, Missoula District Maintenance, 2015
Jeffrey Dyekman, Billings District Construction, 2018
The memorial is located at MDT Headquarters, in the Dave Manning Memorial Building, at 2701 Prospect Avenue in Helena.
You can learn more about National Work Zone Awareness Week at this link to the Department of Transportation website.
