Missouri transportation worker killed on I-70

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A veteran Missouri Department of Transportation worker was killed Wednesday morning when he was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 70.

The victim, who's name was not released, had worked for the Transportation Department for 25 to 30 years, co-workers told The Kansas City Star for a story posted on the newspaper's Web site.

"He was a very loyal MoDOT employee -- dependable, one of the best," co-worker Wally Shelton said. "It's hard to believe something like this happened. Safety is something we preach at MoDOT."

A tractor-trailer left long skid marks across three lanes of the highway, coming to a stop with one wheel off the road, The Star reported. Kansas City police shut down eastbound I-70 and eastbound Interstate 670 south of the downtown loop after the accident.

The workers were performing maintenance on lights along the interstate, setting out cones and a flashing light, MoDOT spokeswoman Kerri Lewis said.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com