A construction inspector employed by Lochner was killed and four other workers, one of whom works for Wichita-based Atlas Electric, were injured July 28 when a pickup truck veered off Interstate 135 and struck five construction workers in Saline County, Kan., according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reports that around 9:46 a.m., a 2000 Dodge Ram 3500 was traveling northbound on the interstate just south of Salina when for an unknown reason left the roadway, onto the right shoulder and struck a legally parked vehicle. He then skidded, hit the guardrail and overturned onto the grassy area behind the guardrail where he struck the workers.
A worker, identified as Toby Marco, 55, of Abilene, Kan., who was employed by Lochner, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other workers suffered critical injuries and were taken to Wichita-area hospitals. Two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Dodge Ram also suffered non-life threatening injuries. Beyond the Lochner and Atlas employees, it’s not immediately clear who employs the other workers.
Catherine Magana, a spokeswoman for the transportation department, described the work being done at the site as “routine.”
“The contractor was drilling to install a new footing in the right-of-way when they noticed what appeared to be an existing footing. The five of them were investigating it and were behind the guard fence. [when they were struck]Magana said.
“The base was for the base of a light fixture. That’s why the shoulder was closed on Mentor Road,” he added.
The project, which he described as “very small, about $2 million,” involves replacing light fixtures and poles at the interchanges.
Atlas Electric declined to comment on the accident; Lochner, which is based in Chicago and has an office in Kansas City, released a statement saying “our thoughts are with our colleague’s family, friends and co-workers during this difficult time. We are supporting those affected by this tragic loss.”
He adds that the circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the competent authorities and by the company and that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
As ENR reported earlier this year, road work zone crashes continue to disrupt projects and create safety issues for contractors, according to Associated General Contractors of AmericaThe annual Highway Work Zone Safety Survey, which found that 60 percent of highway contractors reported at least one accident involving a moving vehicle in an active work zone in the past year, while nearly a third reported five or more accidents.
A similar fatal accident occurred in Baltimore in 2023, when six construction workers were killed when an apparently out-of-control passenger car entered a work zone along Interstate 695 in Baltimore.
