Date:
Friday, June 22, 2007
Contact:
Brian Nielsen, Project Engineer, (206) 437-7244 (Kirkland)
Colleen Gants, WSDOT Communications, (206) 465-2311 (Kirkland)
KIRKLAND – WSDOT launched our busiest construction season in 2007 with hundreds of projects under construction in the greater Puget Sound area. “We can have the best design and well-planned work zones, but we can’t control drivers. We need drivers' attention and help to keep both themselves and our workers safe,” said Linea Laird State Construction Engineer. That was the case with today’s fatality in Kirkland.
Early Friday morning, two WSDOT contractors who worked for Kiewit Construction were struck by an SUV that traveled through the construction barrels into the work zone. Mr. Kollin S. Nielson, 30, a Kiewit engineer from Renton, originally from the Tri-Cities, was killed. Mr. Brandon Overland, 22, a Kiewit engineering intern received non-life threatening injuries. We are respecting the privacy of Mr. Nielsen's family and Mr. Overland as they take time to grieve and recover from this tragedy.
WSDOT schedules construction work at night to avoid peak travel times. However, working at night puts WSDOT construction crews at risk to impaired drivers. “This morning’s tragedy was not an accident. We believe it happened because someone made a conscious choice to drive after they’d been drinking,” said Captain Steve Burns of the Washington State Patrol. “That’s not acceptable anywhere, and especially not in work zones. I’ve directed our troopers to put extra effort into work zone patrols, and to give no warnings. If you endanger workers, you will get a ticket.”
WSDOT cancelled the extensive weekend construction work planned between NE 85th Street and NE 116th Street in Kirkland as part of a safety stand down. Crews will reschedule the planned work for another time.
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