Governor Christine Gregoire has ordered an independent review of the cable barriers that line major highways. The order comes just ten days after the barriers on a stretch of highway near Marysville failed and led to a fatal crash.

The governor now wants to know whether cable barriers are the safest, most effective type of median barrier that can be used.

Records show the stretch of I-5 near Marysville has had numerous barrier failures in the past.

But the Department of Transportation claims cable barriers proved effect 90 percent of the time in a statewide study. Stan Suchan with the DOT says he believes the barriers are crucial to safety.

"Absolutely, absolutely I think cable barriers are a lifesaver," he said. "When I think about it, if I'm in an unfortunate situation out there on the highway and I head for the median and there's a barrier there - I hope it's cable barrier."

But not everyone's a believer.

John Holschen's daughter died when an out-of-control Ford Explorer slammed into their Suburban after crashing through a cable barrier near Marysville in December 2004.

"Obviously the greatest pain is the loss of our daughter," he said.

The DOT just settled with the family for $2 million, but Holschen wants something else.

"That these barriers are removed or modified so that no other family needs to go through what we have had to go through," he said.

The DOT points out that the stretch of freeway near Marysville now has double cable barriers.

Investigators believe the rash of failures that occurred in the area stemmed from a dip in the median that allowed cars to get under the barriers and break through.

But they're still looking into just why the barriers failed in the most recent accident, and the governor wants answers, too.

In the meantime, the DOT and the State Patrol will address public concerns about barriers in the area at a town hall meeting in Stanwood on Saturday.