Caltrans contractor killed while collecting trash on Highway 101 in Redwood City

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- A landscape contractor for Caltrans was struck and killed Tuesday morning along Highway 101 in Redwood City when a driver veered off the southbound lanes and smashed into a fence just past Woodside Road.

A woman driving a black Mercedes hit two Caltrans contract employees as they did landscape work along the shoulder.

"One of the workers sustained fatal injuries. Another one was able to move out of the way and sustained minor injuries and was transported to Stanford. The driver sustained minor injuries, and she also was transported to Stanford," said CHP Officer Art Montiel.

The CHP doesn't know how fast the car was going, or what caused the driver to lose control. There is only a small berm and no guardrail along the shoulder. The woman also struck several cars in the parking lot at Stanford's Pain Management facility on the other side of the fence.

The two workers were collecting trash and bagging it in those bright orange bags you frequently see along the side of the road. They were part of a work crew of eight plus two supervisors from JobTrain, a well- known nonprofit in Menlo Park that provides skills training.

"We're shocked and saddened about the tragic accident that took place this morning on Highway 101. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of those involved, and we're working to provide counseling and support to the crews and to the other people who are working here," said JobTrain Executive Director Nora Sobolov.

JobTrain has had a contract with San Mateo County since 2012 to provide work crews that do roadside clean-up, graffiti abatement, weeding, and similar tasks.

Full-time Caltrans crews told me safety is always a concern when they work so close to cars passing at freeway speeds with little to protect them.