Staff paid their respects during the ceremony and asked drivers to remain vigilant this construction season.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — The names of fallen Pennsylvania Department of Transportation workers, followed by the sound of a bell, echoed across the front parking lot of the District 4 office in Dunmore.

“Every year in April, we remember those fallen members of our team who came to work and did not make it home,” said Jonathan A. Eboli, PennDOT District 4 District Executive.

The yearly ceremony comes during National Work Zone Awareness Week and is put on by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union, in partnership with PennDOT.

Set in the lawn, white crosses bear orange vests and hard hats as a tribute to PennDOT workers across the state who were killed on the job.

“It’s just as moving the first as the first time when I saw them, you know, you come out today, and you see them, and if you look at this and you, you don’t feel something for the people that didn’t make it home from work that day, something wrong somewhere,” said Bill Cockerill, AFL-CIO Community Service Liaison.

Community leaders and state lawmakers spoke about the risks of distracted driving at any time, but especially during construction season.

“You’re, you’re going back and forth with all distracted drivers that we’re trying to say to the motor in public, be aware, slow down in the work zones, stay off your phones, and, and hopefully everybody can go home to their family,” said Eric Schubert, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Union.

From the new laws set to go into effect this summer, making it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving, ‘Operation Yellow Jacket’ in which state police monitor highway work zones, to school programs and projects that reinforce the importance of work zone safety among younger generations, officials with PennDOT and leaders across the state are working hard to make sure both workers and drivers make it home safely.

“We remind everyone that work zones are temporary, but your actions behind the wheel can be forever,” said Eboli.

Since 1970, 93 PennDOT employees have lost their lives in the line of duty, including 11 from District 4.