ORLANDO, Fla. – Work along the 21-mile stretch of the I-4 Ultimate Project was put on hold after a worker was struck by a dump truck and killed.
[RELATED: News 6 covers The Big Drive]
Representatives with the Florida Department of Transportation said the contractor has communicated to them that the delay will not affect their overall timeline.
"Safety is the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) top priority," FDOT said in a statement to News 6. "The SGL joint venture team has communicated to the department that the SGL safety stand-down will not impact the project’s construction schedule, which concludes in 2021."
Crews from the contractor SGL Constructors gathered for a safety training meeting at 7 a.m. Workers told News 6 they discussed safety procedures and were allowed time to talk about the deadly accident. They said after the meeting many were dismissed, and have not been told when they'll be called back to work.
SGL spokesperson Russ Handler said grief counselors were available at all SGL sites Thursday.
Florida Highway Patrol representatives said 34-year-old Marvin Franklin, of Orlando, died in the crash, which happened around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday between I-4 and Wymore Road.
SGL spokesperson Brook Brookshire said Franklin was a carpenter who was employed by the contractor for a little more than a month.
Brookshire did not give a timeline for when the project will resume.
"Let's review our plans again, let's review our access, let's review, you know, all of our safety protocols on the project and make sure that we do have the right tools in place to have a safe project," said Brookshire.
SGL said on Thursday that construction should resume in a matter of days. Officials also said that their construction schedule included "unforseeable circumstances," so the halt in construction shouldn't cause any delays.
Since I-4 Big Drive construction started, SGL said that three workers have been injured. The company describes the injuries as minor. For example, officials said that a worker injured their back while pushing a stalled vehicle off the interstate.
SGL said it has been in touch with Franklin's family and have offered their condolences, adding that the safety of their employees is their top priority.