A Big Reason For The New Job

If you are a normal reader of mine or you vaguely know me, you know that I am rarely on the serious side. Most of you probably think that I care more about drinking, going to concerts and video games than my job, ethics or morals. Well here is a little something that might change your opinion.

On December 1st, 2005 at 9:15 a.m. at an intersection on the highway project that I was Lead Engineer of this past year, there was a traffic crash, which involved 2 vehicles and initially 1 injury. However, on December 6th, 2005 that injured person died.

I use the term crash, because in the transportation engineering world there is no such thing as accidents. Accidents cannot be prevented, crashes can. This crash could have been prevented.

On August 22, 2005 nearly two months before the project was opened, I emailed my Project Manager and Team Supervisor urging them to reconsider the opening of the project under the current circumstances. The following is that email:

“I was driving through the bypass this morning and with the shoulders nearly completed on the mainline, I noticed how easy it is to go fast on the mainline. I also noticed how big the intersections are. It is my opinion that we should seriously look into seeing if we can get signals installed before the project opens to the public, or postponing the opening of the road until signals are installed. I have had conversations with a number of the contractors about what is going to happen once the road opens. We half kiddingly suggest that it will take at least one or two little white crosses for signals to be installed. I don't think we should wait that long. After all I always thought our job was to protect the interests of the residents of Wisconsin.

In looking at our mission statement I would like to take a couple phrases that we should think about and review before we proceed to open this road without signals.

"Provide a safe and efficient transportation system."

"Being individually and collectively responsible for the impact of our actions on the people we serve."

"The courage to do the right thing."

I know that on the Fond du Lac Bypass, someone was killed within months of the opening of the project and soon after signals were erected at this dangerous intersection. And mind you it wasn't dangerous for the way it was built or designed, but because drivers were used to a stopping situation that was removed when the project was opened.

I know that signals will eventually be installed at the intersections on this project. I think it should be done before the road is opened and someone gets killed.”

Soon after my Team Supervisor read my email, he and my Project Manger and myself had a conference call in which I was reprimanded for opinions and I was informed that this road will be opened. I don’t know that my email was distributed any further. But I am reasonably certain that my concerns were discussed with those further up on the organizational chart including my supervisors immediate supervisor the Project Group Staff Manager, and most likely up to the Director of the Southeast Region. The next step would have been to go to the Secretary of Transportation of the State of Wisconsin.

I guess my own personal guilt on this incident is in the court of public opinion. Did I do all I could to prevent a death? Should I realize that injuries and fatalities are unfortunately a side effect of my career? Would I feel less guilt if I worked for a weapons manufacturer? Sure on the record I toed the company line. During interviews I would state that with our current data, and with estimated traffic patterns, traffic signals were not warranted at these intersections. I would also state that this roadway was constructed to meet all state highway standards.

While constructing this project I can recall standing at the intersections and looking at them, and thinking how big these intersections are. It is approximately 150 feet to get across two right turn lanes, two left turn lanes, and four lanes of thru traffic. That makes 8 lanes of traffic a motorist has to navigate, with some of that traffic traveling at up to a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour, to get to the other side of the intersection. How often are people going at or under the posted speed limit? More realistically, speeds are reaching up to 55 miles per hour. That just seems like quite the gauntlet to run with a vehicle starting from a dead stop.

I feel that this is a safe roadway, unfortunately in designing any roadway, you cannot predict the human element. Is there any guilt that should go to the two operators of the vehicles? I have reviewed the accident report. This was a broadside crash between an 82-year-old man and a 62-year-old man. The cause for the crash was termed “Failure to yield the right of way”. I have learned that the 82 year old who later died, assumed that the intersection was a four way stop as it was during construction.

"Failure to yeild the right of way." That sounds like a violation that a set of signals would have detered.

Could I have stopped this crash from happening? Am I partially responsible for another person’s death? I believe that I am a contributing factor. Knowing a good deal of the factors in this incident, I know that if traffic signals had been installed before this road was open, as I had stressed to my superiors, this man would still be alive. Did I do all that I could?

I had told myself after the email to my supervisors and especially after the conference call with them, that if someone did die on my project due to a situation where signals could have prevented the death that I would step up my search for a new job. And that is a major reason for my employment change. I would also like you to read the second and final draft of my resignation letter to the state. I was asked to rewrite the original.


The purpose of this letter is to inform you of my resignation from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Under the rules of civil service I am required to submit this letter 14 calendar days prior to my last day of work. With today being Friday the 20th of January, that would make Friday February 3rd 2006 my last day with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. There are a number of reasons for my decision to leave my current position. I recently was offered a position with another company. I also have been increasingly displeased with the ability of my union to negotiate a raise. However, the chief reason for my decision to leave results from a situation with my last project. A situation arose in which a decision was made by my superiors based researched data and investigation along with knowledge of the risks involved with road building. I did not agree with this decision. I did not have factual basis for my disagreement, but my disagreement stemmed from my own engineering judgment, experience and values. I have enjoyed my stay with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, I have met a number of great people and the Department has offered me the opportunity to gain immeasurable experience and further my engineering knowledge.

Sincerely,

Rickie Davies
Project Engineer