ATSSA Signal March/April 2020

American Traffic Safety Services Association 14 ATSSA News Michigan chapter member had personal motivation for work on Memorial National Work Zone Memorial adds 61 new names for 2020 StephanieBoileauworkeddiligently over the past year to gather additional names for theNationalWork ZoneMemo - rial because, for her, the mission was personal. “It started because I knew two people that had been killed. I worked with both of them,” said Boileau, president-elect of the Michigan ATSSA Chapter and a geotechnical engineer for Soils & Struc - tures in Muskegon. Herpersonalmotivation ledtoninepeople fromMichiganhaving their names added to thewall. A total of 61 newnames were gathered over the past year by people across the country for addition to the wall for 2020. “If we don’t tell these stories, andwe don’t share what happened … we can’t learn from the crashes that happen and we can’t properly recognize these people that are putting their lives on the line every single day to maintain our crum - bling infrastructure,” Boileau said. The updatedNational Work ZoneMemo - rial will be unveiled April 21 as part of the kickoff event for National Work Zone Awareness Week. Michigan is hosting this year’s event and has been working over the past year to plan it. The event has been held annually since 2000 and in recent years has beenhosted by different states across the country. The American Traffic Safety Services (ATSS) Foundation’s National Work Zone Memorial honors peoplewhowere killed as a result of work zone crashes, including roadway workers, non-impairedmotor - ists, pedestrians, law enforcement offi - cers, public safety officials, and children. The Memorial travels to sites across the country throughout the year to honor the lives lost and to draw attention to the need for increasedwork zone safety. The ATSS Foundation relies on people in ATSSA chapters and public agencies to provide the names for theNational Work ZoneMemorial, said Lori Diaz, associate director of The Foundation. Within the past year, people from across the coun - try helped identify victims of work zone crashes, which resulted in the large addi - tion of names. “Wedependon themto submit thenames of their fallen workers to honor them,” Diaz said of the people in the field. The Michigan Department of Transpor - tation led the planning of this year’s kickoff event but the Michigan ATSSA Chapter was heavily involved. As part of their involvement, Boileau spear - headed the effort to track down names of people fromMichigan who were not yet recognized. Boileauworkedhardupdating theMemo - rial by reaching out to the families of fallenMichigan workers asking for their consent to add the names of their loved ones, said Kurt Shea, former president of the Michigan Chapter and vice presi - dent of PK Contracting Inc. in Kalamazoo. “Stephanie went above and beyondwhat one would expect a volunteer to do. She exemplified leadership in her efforts, giving of her time and talents honoring fallen workers and their loved ones,” Shea said. “Stephanie’s efforts helped bring together and strengthen the road building community.” As she worked to do her part, Boileau never forgot her co-workers and the Memorial’s purpose. “TheMemorial, and those whose names are listedon it,make it clear thatworkzone injuries and fatalities are still an ongoing hazard to both the heavy construction industry and the public, and we need to work together to do everything we can tomake work zones safer for everyone,” she said.  Stephanie Boileau, a geotechnical engineer for Soils & Structures, “went above and beyond” in gathering names for the National Work Zone Memorial.