Section of U.S. 70 dedicated to Grey Bailey
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 7, 2016 10:32 AM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Millie Bailey wipes away tears Tuesday as she speaks about her late husband, Grey, a state Department of Transportation employee who died March 23, 2015, after being struck by a car.
Millie Bailey paused several times to wipe away tears Tuesday afternoon as she thanked those responsible for dedicating a section of U.S. 70 West as Grey Bailey Highway in memory of her husband, Grey.
"This road dedication has been so important to my family and I," she said. "It is one small step in providing a lasting memory of an amazing person that Grey Bailey was. From now on when we travel this road that holds such terrible memories for us we can be happy knowing that this dedication raises awareness to the importance of work zone safety and how important it is for those men and women to make it home safely to their families each day.
"I pray that you never have to see another widow cry before you over the loss of her husband. I hope that as hundreds of people travel that road each day they will take note of Grey's sacrifice and reflect on how valuable life really is."
Bailey, 35, a state Department of Transportation employee, died in March 23, 2015, after being struck by a car while working along U.S. 70 West near Capps Bridge Road.
The section of U.S. 70 from Ebenezer Church Road to the U.S. 70 Goldsboro Bypass bridge over the Little River was dedicated Tuesday as Grey Bailey Highway during a ceremony at the Wayne County Courthouse attended by Mrs. Bailey, their twin 3-year-old daughters, Lydia and Vera, family, friends and state and local officials from Wayne and Johnston counties.
Bailey lived at Kenly and worked out of the DOT office in Johnston County.
Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson presented a replica of the sign to Mrs. Bailey. Board of Transportation member Gus Tulloss served as master of ceremonies.
"To say the last year and a half of my life has been difficult is an understatement," Mrs. Bailey said. "Tragedy strikes without warning and shows no mercy. With that being said, I must take time to reflect and appreciate all of you whom have supported my girls and I in this healing process. From the troopers and deputies of Wayne County to all the NCDOT workers, to (Johnston County) Sheriff Steve Bizzell and everyone in the Johnston County Sheriff's Office that have been there every step of the way, I thank you.
"For my family and friends, they have had my back and my best interest in mind on my most difficult days, thank you. Each person here has done something to assist me and my girls during this time of grief."
Mrs. Bailey said she could fill a book with the people who have shown her family love and support in their time of need.
The dedication was a fitting tribute to a dedicated state employee, involved community member and loving family man, said Tennyson and Tim Little, DOT Division 4 engineer.
It also will serve as a reminder to motorists to drive safely, particularly in work zones, they said.
There were 4,635 work zone crashes last year, Tennyson said. There were 19 fatalities, three of whom were workers in work zones and 16 were either the drivers or passengers in the vehicles, he said.
"So the fact that Grey's death occurred in what had been proclaimed National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week made it even more meaningful for us in terms of trying to get the message across," Tennyson said. "Grey represented the best in public service. He was a man who made all of those people around him in NCDOT more effective and better at serving the public.
"We are here today to honor his memory and his family because we recognize that his public service ended with the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty to the state of North Carolina. We obviously want to make sure that we use this as a reminder to people to be responsible. You have to pay attention particularly in work zones, particularly if there are emergency vehicles on the road."
Little told Mrs. Bailey that she is very inspiring to everyone in the DOT.
Little said he wanted the day to be a "positive thing" and for good memories to be shared.
"It is a great day in Division Four in that we get to honor one of our own in Grey Bailey," he said. "The dedication today is based on Grey's community service -- him working with the fire department and just being a great husband and father.
"But also I want to talk about our family, and that is the DOT family and what he meant to us. Grey was known by his co-workers for his humor and good nature. One of the things that they said about Grey that was so good, and we all work with people that when you go to work you will search that person out because if you are having a bad day, you want to go find that person who is going to make you a happier person."
Bailey was that person, Little said.
Little said he had never seen a photo of Bailey where he wasn't smiling.
He made those who worked with him better and happier people, Little said.
"You can't ask for anything better than that, and you can't ask for anything better from another human being in life," Little said. "All of us in here today are better people because we knew him. He made a lasting impression to his co-workers and the whole DOT family."
Little said Bailey's co-workers raised enough money to purchase and install a flagpole at the DOT office where Bailey worked on U.S. 70 in Johnston County.
"In honoring Grey with the dedication we are also sending a message today," Little said. "That message is safety. When you see the signs it will have a safety message on there.
"So what we are trying to produce with that is the fact that we don't want this to ever happen again to anybody. People who ride by there and see that sign, I hope they will think about what they are doing -- driving, whether or not they are distracted or any other thing that is causing them not to be paying attention to the road. That sign, I hope, encourages people to think about what they are doing, and let's never be here for this purpose again."
He told those in the audience that when they ride by the sign or the flag and someone is with them to tell Bailey's story and how important it is to be safe on the roadways.