Letter: Keep alert for road work ahead

To the Editor:

We are writing to remind readers about safety on our roads and highways. Construction season is starting, and we and our fellow coworkers will be out on the roads every day working to make sure they are safe and in good driving condition.

We are Minnesota Department of Transportation highway maintenance employees.

In Minnesota, it is the law that when traveling on a roadway with two or more lanes, that drivers need to keep a lane away when passing a stopped ambulance, fire truck, law enforcement or road maintenance/construction vehicle. If you are not able to safely move away a lane, reduce your speed.

Unfortunately, this law was passed in memory of a State Patrol trooper Ted Foss, who was killed in August 2000 while conducting a routine traffic stop on I-90 in Southeastern Minnesota.

We know many of our coworkers have “close call” stories from their days on the job on the side of Minnesota roads. Let’s help prevent the next crash by being attentive and moving over and slowing down when you see flashing lights. It’s the law!

Wayne Learn,

Cindy Ogden,

Linda Vagt,

Brian Nelson,

Ben Boldt and

Dennis Johnson

MnDOT’s Red Wing

Truck Station

Tags: opinion, letters