FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Fort Irwin Road is notorious for the number of crosses on the side of the road due to the amount of accidents that have happened since the 1980s.
As of right now, the total of crosses along the road is 57 crosses.
“Out of 57 crosses, we had four teams place and remove about 50 or so flags,” Marketing Manager for The Villages at Fort Irwin Cherry Langston said. “Some were down, and one already had one at the truck check-in.”
The causes of the accidents vary from reckless driving, intoxication and driving while fatigued according to a 2017 record “Crosses on Fort Irwin Road.”
Every year, The Housing Office and the Villages at Fort Irwin, participate in giving back to the community by doing something out of the ordinary from a normal “work-day” in the office.
One of the managers suggested the idea of decorating the crosses for holidays to show tribute to those who had sadly departed.
This became an annual tradition at the company.
“In addition to the following staff, we had help from some of our spouses and children,” Langston said in an email.
It was decided that the crosses would be decorated with American flags for Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
The plan was to go and place the flags on the crosses while also reporting any damaged or fallen crosses to Directorate of Public Works (DPW).
“We were unable to complete the Memorial Day plans due to staff teleworking,” Langston said in an email. “But we plan on setting them out again for Veterans Day.”
Much of the staff make the daily commute to Fort Irwin from Barstow, Victorville and Helendale areas for work.
“We thought it would be a great way to honor and remember those who unfortunately passed along Irwin and Fort Irwin Roads,” said Langston in an email. “And hopefully to remind those still driving of their own loved ones and to be careful on the roads.”