Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Two Michigan Department of Transportation workers were struck and killed by an SUV on US-127 at Cedar Street in Mason on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Michigan State Employees Association, the workers were hit in the northbound lanes of US-127 shortly before 1:30 p.m.

A third worker was “evaluated and released at the scene,” according to MSEA.

The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media the highway will be shut down for an “extended time.”

MSEA President Jacob VanSickle released the following statement:

“Today, we are grieving with the family, friends, and coworkers of the MDOT workers who lost their lives while serving the people of Michigan. We are holding every person impacted by this tragedy close in our hearts,” VanSickle said.

“MDOT workers show up every day to keep our roads safe and our state moving. They do hard, dangerous work, often just feet away from traffic moving at highway speeds. No one should go to work and not come home.


“Out of respect for the families and coworkers who are living through this pain right now, our first responsibility is to mourn, support one another, and make sure they have what they need. But we also cannot ignore the truth that MSEA has raised serious concerns for years about highway work zone safety, signage, procedures, and protections for MDOT workers. The state has heard those concerns, and too often, it has refused to act with the urgency these workers deserve.

“Safety cannot be treated as a talking point after tragedy strikes. It must be built into every work zone, every assignment, and every decision before workers are put in harm’s way. That means stronger signage, clearer procedures, better protections, real enforcement of safety standards, and listening to the frontline workers who know these dangers because they experience them every day.

“Our members are proud to serve Michigan. They deserve to do that work safely. MSEA will continue standing with MDOT workers and their families, and we will keep fighting until the state takes these safety concerns seriously.”

The MSEA is calling on the department to honor the lives lost today by “doing everything in its power to protect the MDOT workers who continue to serve Michigan on our roads.”

“That means reviewing what happened, strengthening work zone signage and safety procedures immediately, and sitting down with frontline workers and their representatives to finally address the safety concerns they have raised for years,” a press release from the MSEA said.