Connections: Oct. 2009

8/7/2019 Connections: Oct. 2009

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/connections-oct-2009 1/16

A Publication for Employees of the Missouri Department of Transportation

Connect ionsOctober 2009

7 10 125Get AboutColumbiaResurfacing projectaids bicyclists andpedestrians in D5

14 DistinguishedServiceCindy Kever awardedfor dedicatedaviation service inCentral Of ce

Team SpiritD2 contributes toTour of Missourisuccess

New MixtureD7 rst in nation to usenew ashpalt mixture inlarge project

I n s i d e

Customer PraiseD9 receives a uniquethank-you note

by Sally Oxenhandler

MoDOT Gets Great Report Cardfrom MissouriansReport cards can cut both ways depend-ing on how much effort you put into them.Sometimes they’re not so good, and youwant to hide them from the parents. Othertimes they’re good enough to plaster onthe refrigerator door.

MoDOT’s most recent report card f romMissourians is de nitely a keeper andre ects the hard work and dedication of Team MoDOT. It shows that 85 percentof Missourians are satis ed with the jobwe’re doing. Moreover, 24 percent, oralmost a quarter of customers, are verysatis ed with our work.

The customer satisfaction ndings comefrom random telephone interviews with3,500 adult Missouri residents that alsoprovide information for four other Trackermeasures: satisfaction with transportat ionoptions; public involvement; MoDOT asMissouri’s transportation expert; and pro-viding timely, accurate and understandableinformation.

Customer feedback in those areas wasequally positive:

68 percent are satis ed with theirtransportation options; up 11 percentfrom last year;72 percent agree that MoDOT consid-ers their needs and views when makingdecisions;91.5 percent thin k MoDOT is the pri-

mary transportation expert; and92 percent of Missourians agreethat MoDOT provides under-standable information, while 90percent believe the departmentprovides timely and accurateinformation.

A new question posed this yearunderscores even further the posi-tive direction we’re headed. Whenasked if they trust MoDOT to keepits commitments to the public, 89percent said yes!

The complete Report Card fromMissourians can be found at http://li-brary.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/ri08018/ or10001.pdf .

MoDOT has a new tool for holding back oodwater. Big Bags are large sand bagsthat unfold like an accordion to createa 15-foot long by 3-foot high by 3-footwide storage compartment for sand. Onesystem of Big Bags takes the place of 500

sand bags.“They’ll be used the next time oodwatersthreaten to r ise over our major roads,” saidJim Carney, state maintenance engineer.

“A new product li ke this can help us savetime and protect lives duri ng a crisis.”

The Big Bags work much like LEGO ® toys; a chain of dumpster-sized bags canbe stacked, attached, lled with sandand built upon to create massive ood-walls quickly and easily. The bags are

Stephen R. Miller of Kansas City was sworn in as Missouri’s newest Highwaysand Transportation Commissioner Aug. 25 by Missouri Supreme Court ChiefJustice William Ray Price, Jr.

Welcome Commissioner Miller! Big Bags for Fighting Floodsby Sandra Hentges

continued on page 2

Cathy MorrisonSh

aun Schmitz

Shaun Schmitz

Cathy Morrison

Cathy Morrison



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As we move into fall, the numberof completed Safe & Sound bridgeprojects is approaching 100. Since the rst project was completed in late April,MoDOT and its contractor partnershave been reopening a new br idgeevery day-and-a-half.

All of the bridges improved so far havebeen rehabilitation projects, contractedthrough MoDOT’s normal monthly let-tings. Now, the next phase of the projectis about to begin.

During October KTU Constructors,the Design-Build team selected in Mayfor Safe & Sound’s 554 bridge replace-ments, will begin its rst four projectsin Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6:

Buchanan County, Route KK overPuckett SloughPlatte County, Route 45 over BearCreek Maries County, Route 42 over MillsSpringSt. Louis County, Route 109 overBonhomme Creek

Meanwhile, KTU will continue prepar-ing for its rst big construction push inearly 2010, completing designs, naliz-ing agreements with subcontractors andmaterials suppliers and ne-tuning itsconstruction schedules. More than 50people are working at KTU’s hub of cein Kansas City. As construction vol-umes warrant in the future, they plan toopen up to ve regional of ces.

Design-Build Phase of Safe& Sound Program Beginsby Bob Brendel

The photos above show a Safe & Sound bridge on Route 2 in Cass County.

Because the weather has been sounusually nice this summer, my familyand I have taken advantage of biking

on the Katy Trail even more than usual.We bike purely for fun and exercise, soit’s easy to forget that others bike to getaround, whether it’s to work or a doc-tor’s appointment.

That’s why it’s good to know MoDOTworks hard to factor bicycle and pedes-trian travel into its highway projects,and has made a lot of headway makingstate roads and bridges user-friendly forbicyclists and pedestrians. In fact, theLeague of American Bicyclists recentlyranked Missouri as the 17th most bikefriendly state in the nation, an 11-spotjump from last year.

The ranking is based on Missouri’scommitment to bicycling and covers

six key areas: legislation, policies andprograms, infrastructure, educationand encouragement, evaluation andplanning, and enforcement.

“MoDOT strives to factor bicycle travelinto its highway projects,” said MelissaAnderson, MoDOT’s non-motorizedengineer whose focus is on bicycle andpedestrian t ravel. “We’ve had somegreat success, and we continually look for ways to make our roads and br idgesuser-friendly for bicyclists and pedes-trians.”

Anderson cited the planned rehabilita-tion of the Heart of America Bridge,which connects downtown KansasCity with north Kansas City via Route9, as a good example of MoDOT’s bikefriendly approach. Under the project,the bridge will be recon gured toprovide a barrier-protected path forbicycles and pedestrians. Signs remind-

ing bicyclists and motorists to share theroad will also be installed.

Other bike-brag-ging projectachievementsinclude:

The projectto rebuildInterstate 64now under wayin St. Louiscalled for twonew bicycle/ pedestrianunderpasses,which arenow com-

plete. A multi-use path at Hamptonand I-64 that used to cross over aheavily traveled road now passes

underneath to protect bicyclists andpedestrians from traf c. In addition,a new, more open bypass just westof Kingshighway lets bikers andpedestrians cross safely under theinterstate.A protected pedestrian/bicyclewalkway was built down thecenter of Kansas Expressway overInterstate 44 in Spring eld as partof a diverging diamond interchangeproject that was completed in June.MoDOT is collaborating withthe city of Rolla on a multi-phase

project that has provided 9.07miles of biking and walking pathsto date, with an additional 1.72miles planned. Once complete, thepaths will connect to provide acomprehensive bike and pedestriansidewalk network.Working with the city of St. James,MoDOT built a 5.2-mile hikingand biking trail through dividedHistoric Route 66 and an old growthpine forest area. The completed trailis part of an overall plan to connecttrails from St. James to Meramec

State Park.An asphalt bicycle/pedestrian trailwas built this summer in RiverviewPark in Hannibal with federalenhancement funds. It connectsRiverview Park visitors to down-town Hannibal.

Missouri Is Bike Friendlyby Sally Oxenhandler

Fighting Floodscontinued from page 1

The Missouri Coalition for RoadwaySafety is calling all Missouri highschool students to compete in the 2009Battle of the Belt Challenge. The chal-lenge is an opportunity for studentsto win cash and prizes for their school

while educating their peers about theimportance of seat belts.

The statewide competition runs Oct. 5 –Nov. 20 to educate young drivers aboutsafety belt use, reduce traf c crashinjuries and save lives.

“In 2008, seven out of 10 young people(between the ages of 15-20) killedin Missouri vehicle crashes were notbuckled up,” said Leanna Depue, chairof the coalition’s executive committee.

“Through education, competition andfun, the Battle of the Belt Challengecan make a difference with Missouriteens and save lives.”

Young drivers are overrepresented incrashes both nationwide and in Mis-souri. Although comprising only ninepercent of Missouri’s licensed driv-ers, in 2008 they were involved in 23percent of the fatal and disabling injurycrashes.

Traf c crashes are the leading causeof death for people 15-20 years old.

Results of a2008 surveyamong Mis-souri teensindicate 38percent of

teens are not wearing safety belts.This year’s program features a newonline system at www.saveMOyouth.com where schools can sign up, submitforms and access resources. Additionalaward categories give more schools theopportunity to be a Battle of the Beltwinner.

The program consists of two surpriseseat belt checks at each high school tomeasure student seat belt usage beforeand after an educational campaign re-garding the importance of seat belts. Inaddition, schools have the opportunityto submit a 30-second video spot aimedat encouraging their peers to buckleup. Statewide and regional prizes areawarded to schools reaching high safetybelt usage rates.

More than 125 schools participated inBattle of the Belt last year.For moreinformation on Battle of the Belt, visitwww.saveMOyouth.com .

Missouri High School StudentsChallenged to Buckle Up!Safety Belt Campaign Aims to Save Livesby Kara Price

made of tightly woven polypropylenewith wooden frames that are screwedtogether. Each system weighs only 50pounds when empty, but when de-ployed they are lled with 2,800-3,500pounds of sand, depending on themoisture content.

It takes just a few minutes to ll thebags with the help of a spreader boxon dump trucks. Creating a traditionalsand bag wall could take several hours.

“The ood of 2008 prompted us topursue the Big Bags,” said Carney. “Wewant to have something new to try inour next ood emergency.”

MoDOT was the rst state in the areato purchase the Big Bags, and currentlyhas 885 systems in storage at the Cen-tral Of ce Distribution Center availableto the districts when they are needed.

Cathy Morrison

Before After




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Why do highways need to be rebuilt?

A new video from the Multimedia Ser-vices unit answers that question withanimation, walking the viewer throughthe wear and tear that h ighways experi-ence over 50 years of use, and howsupporting rock and soil layers crumbledespite repeated improvements to thesurface. It explains what lies beneathyour commute, and why highwayseventually need more than a facelift.

Life Cycle of a HighwayThe team’s work has caught the at-tention of other state transportation

agencies working to communicatethe need to reinvest in highways. Ithas even been requested by a Londoncompany as a tool to train governmentroad agencies in developing countrieson infrastructure maintenance.

Watch “The Life Cycle of a Highway”at http://www.modot.mo.gov/newsand-info/lifecycle.htm or www.YouTube.com/ modotvideo .

Teens have a second chance to show off their dance moves!

The second round of a teen seat beltdance video competition started Oct.1 and will again feature the originalsong “Get Your Buckle On.” The videocontest is part of the October campaignsponsored by the Missouri Coalition forRoadway Safety, encouraging teens to

“get your buckle on.”

More than 250 seat belt videos wereposted online in the rst round of thevideo competition, which ended Aug.31. Many of the videos were lmedat the Highway Gardens Transporta-

Show Us Your Seat Belt Dance – Round 2by Sandra Hentges

tionExposition Center during this year’sMissouri State Fair.

“Infusing the buckle up message withmusic makes it memorable,” saidLeanna Depue, MoDOT’s director of Highway Safety, and chair of the Mis-souri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

“We hope young people will rememberit and wear their seat belts on everytrip.”

Forgetting to buckle up is one of theprimary reasons teens cite for failingto wear their seat belts. One hundredthirty seven young people, age 16-20,were killed in 2008 traf c crashes.

Eighty percentwere not buckledup.

The winner of the rst-roundcontest has beenannounced.They have theopportunity tobe featured in aprofessionally lmed publicservice an-nouncement air-ing Oct. 18-25 during National TeenDriver Safety Week.

Please visit www.getyourbuckleon.com to nd out more or to uploadyour dance.

State Fair visitors had “MOre Fun ThanEver” this year at the Missouri StateFair as they danced through the High-way Gardens Transportation ExpositionCenter Aug. 13-23 in Sedalia.

The center featured several new dis-plays as well as several retu rning favor-ites. Visitors were informed on the newtexting law, Saved by the Belt, Adopt-a-Highway and No MOre Trash programs,

work zone safetyand multimodalhighlights.

No MOre Trash!Day on Aug.14 featured acelebration of keeping Mis-souri’s roadwaysclean. Fairgoersenjoyed freecookies, paintingtrash cans, a visitfrom Buttons the

Transportation MOre Fun Than Ever at the Missouri State Fairby Revee White

Clown and a variety of other act ivitiesto spread the word about No MOreTrash!

The Get Your Buckle On room was apopular spot as visitors recorded theirown seat belt dance for www.getyour-buckleon.com . Visitors also picked up

the hot-off-the-pressMissouri state map.New this year at eachgrandstand concert wasa MoDOT video on thebig screens.

“The State Fair is a funvenue where we can talk to Missouri residentsabout the transporta-tion issues facing them,”

said Don Hillis, directorof System Management.

“Thanks to all the Central Of ce anddistrict volunteers who helped makethis year’s fair a success.”

For more information on the MissouriState Fair, visit www.mostatefair.com .Fairgoers celebrated keeping Missouri’s roadways clean

at No MOre Trash! Day on Aug. 14.

The new 2010-2012 Missouri state map was apopular item at the fair.

Good News!MoDOT will offer free u shots for

active employees. Look for locations and

details in your district or division.

Shaun Schmitz

Sabrina Schmitz

Shaun Schmitz




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October Service Anniversaries August Retirements

Name Location Years ofService

In Memoriam

40 YearsPaul A. Swendrowski D8Barbara E. Hague CO

30 YearsRandall R. George D4Frank R. Baker D9

25 YearsAndrew J. Smith D1Joseph W. Ostermann D2Robert J. Wray D4Thomas M. Singleton D4James D. Miller D5William F. Stewart D5Clinton R. Timmerman D6David A. Yawitz D6Richard M. Hencinski D6Richard J. Herminghaus D6Judith A. Shrum D7Gary M. Klass D7Doug W. West D7Angela S. Bonnot CODarryl E. Grothoff COMargie A. Mansager COPamella L. Schmutzler CO

20 YearsMark L. Corbin D2Kim R. Reid D6Michael J. Barton D9Deborah S. Austin D10William W. Lacey D10

Christopher D. Belt D10Harry F. Gilmore COCharlene M. Holdt CO

15 YearsKenton D. Bohon D2Timothy M. Barnes D3William J. Mallett D3Matthew A. Willing D3Lonny P. Robert s D3Linley J. Lipper D3Vickie E. Ginder D7Julie A. Haden-Stiles D8Tamara S. Gregory D9Barbara A. Barnard COAllan J. Pollreisz COMichael S. Smith CO

10 YearsDavid J. Earls D1Philip E. Gif n D1James C. Wallick D2Roger D. Curl D2Patricia A. McDonald D4Delmar S. Cowherd D4Thomas E. Rath D5Wayne J. Goyea D6Edith M. Richardson D6Michael P. Colombo D6Trisha M. Claxton D6Tommy E. Atkins D6John G. Pilcher D7Bartholomew C. Novinger D7

Jan A. Rowland D7Randy J. Vest D8William L. Long D8Douglas K. Sandgren D8Brent L. Campbell D9Matt D. Willbanks D9James R. Allison CORichard L. Jones COJulie R. Lamberson COWilliam J. Lockwood CORobert H. Mahlan COKelly R. Niekamp COTimothy S. Peck CO

5 YearsPatrick K. Kelly D1John D. Adams D2Trent E. Chaplin D3

Steve R. Windle D4Jeffrey L. Bathgate D4Jeffrey T. Still D4Stella E. Heldstab D4Christopher A. Kelly D6Le Roy G. Brand D6Chad D. Engemann D6Joseph L. Boyer D6Sandra J. Taurone D10Lori L. Greer COJanet K. Graham COLisa A. Hueste COGennadiy V. Ivanov COLaura K. Voss COPatrick T. Wolf CO

Ronald McAfee D1 20Michael Church D4 8Jim Pruessner D6 31Daryl Simmons D6 27Jack Myers D7 23Thomas Bentley D8 32Michael Garrard CO 27Gary McQuitty CO 15Sharon Dashtaki CO 32

ActiveGary J. Baker D3 August 12

RetireesFlavel “F.C.” or “Pee Wee”C. Baxter D7 August 8

Alfred A. Hammons D8 August 8Melba Battles D5 August 15Dennis L. McNealy D8 August 19Charles “Chuck” M. Stock D7 August 22James L. Long D7 August 23Norval L. Howard D6 August 28

Access to good healthcare is one of theprized bene ts we have as MoDOT em-ployees. October is a time to evaluateyour bene t plan to determine whetheryou need to make any changes.

This year, the Medical and Life Insur-ance Board of Trustees has openedenrollment for healthcare bene ts of active employees through the end of October.

If you are an active employee alreadyenrolled and don’t need to make any

For Your Benefitby Kristi Jamison

changes to your bene t plan, then youdon’t have to do anything.

If you, your spouse and/or eligible de-pendent children are not currently en-

rolled, you may apply during the openenrollment period f rom Oct. 1-30, 2009.Applicants must meet all eligibilityrequirements as stated in the SummaryPlan Document conveniently located onthe intranet at http://wwwi/intranet/eb/ .Coverage for new enrollees is effec-tive Jan. 1, 2010. This open enrollmentperiod does not include retirees, survi-

It was more than just a beautiful dayat the golf course. Whether the golferswere skilled or just learning the game,the annual Benevolent Fund 10-33 Golf Tournament at Columbia Country Clubon Aug. 24 was a day to help familiesof fellow employees.

The tournament has strong support, andthis year was no exception. Fifty-twoteams of four participated, includingemployees and many industry part-ners. By the end of the day, more than$18,000 was raised for families of

employees killed in the line of duty.The 10-33 Benevolent Fund makes adonation to each family at the time of their loss.

“It gives families a little breathing roomwhile they are learning to deal withtheir loss,” said System ManagementDirector Don Hillis.

Tournament winners for this year are:

Beautiful Day, Great CauseGolf Tournament raises more than $18,000 for Employee Benevolent Fund

Championship Flight1st place - Carl Sandbothe, Andy Fritz,Will Fritz, Larr y Fritz (58)2nd place - Buddy Desai, Jay Moore,Kevin Keith, Bob Brendel (59)

A Flight1st place - Troy Pinkerton, Missy Wil-bers, Mike Teel, Jennifer Prenger (64)2nd place - Dan Fischer, David Fischer,Brett Dillon (64)

B Flight1st place - Ken Liescheidt, Todd LaTor-ella, Don Hillis, Dave Nichols (67)2nd place - Mike Paden, Kevin Nechs,Roman Kulich, Ryan Voisey (67)

C Flight1st place - Jeff Hardy, Dave Silvester,Tawn Nugent, Tim Ross (71)2nd place - Tommy Nunn, Brad Rum-felt, Mike Bock, Mike Myers (72)

Closest to the pin (men) #6 John Watkins

vors, vested members, work-related orlong-term disability recipients, COBRAmembers, or their dependents.

Active employees wanting to enrollthemselves, their spouse and/or eligibledependent children must:

complete an A-570 Enrollment/ Change form, available at the Em-ployee Bene ts’ Web site at www.modot.mo.gov/newsandinfo/bene ts.htm under “Forms,” or by con-tacting your respective insurancerepresentative;provide a social security number forall applicants;provide a copy of one of the follow-ing lawful presence documents foreach applicant: U.S. birth certi cate,

U.S. passport, U.S. passport card,certi cate of citizenship, certi cateof birth abroad, certi cate of natu-ralization, or valid lawful perma-nent resident card.

Enrollment forms must be received nolater than Oct. 30, 2009, in the Em-ployee Bene ts’ of ce, 1913 WilliamStreet, P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City,MO, 65102.

Enrollment is also open for activeMoDOT employees for the dental andvision bene t plans through the Mis-souri Consolidated Health Care Plan.For more information, go to http:// www.mchcp.org/State%20Members/ state_2010OE.asp .

Closet to the pin (women) #17Missy Wilbers

Longest drive (men) #1Andy Fritz

Longest drive (women) #1Alberta Green

Silent Auction Results4 Royals Tickets and parking pass -Tim Ross4 Rams Tickets - Greg Budd2 Cardinals Tickets - Llans Taylor4 Chiefs Tickets - Vicki Woods

Mizzou towel and dozen Pro V1 -Kevin KeithGarmin w/ Dash Mount - Carl Sand-botheGolf Lamp - Mike Zimmerman

Please helpyour fellowemployeestoday!

Visit wwwi/

intranet/

shareleave

Emp o e h l ing mp o e !



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Connections Editor Laura HollowayPhone 573.751.5985E-mail [email protected]

105 W. Capitol AvenueP.O. Box 270Jefferson City, MO 65102

for more info

C e n t r a l O f f i c e

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Cathy Morrison

Dr. Ernie Perry, administrator of freight development, and the team inMultimodal Operations is workingto return freight transportation to themajestic Missouri r iver.

A single barge can carry 16 rail carsworth of freight, or enough to ll 70tractor-trailers. One tow consistingof 15 barges and a towboat carries theload of more than 1,000 trucks. Moving

freight via rivers is also an environ-mentally friendly way to move largeamounts of goods. A tow can move one

Missouri Freight – Back tothe Water

MoDOT employees visited the American Commercial Lines facil-ity on the Ohio River in Indiana to talk about returning tow op-erations to the Missouri river. Pictured above (l-r) is Brad Hall andMario Munoz with ACL, Jay Moore, Brian Weiler, Sherrie Turley,Janice Luchan with ACL and Dr. Ernie Perry.

A completed barge is ready for launch into the Ohio River. AmericanCommercial Lines, a barge company, completes and launches approxi-mately one barge per day.

ton of freight nearly 600 miles on onegallon of fuel, compared to 413 milesfor rail and 155 miles for trucks.

“It all adds up to ef ciency and an envi-ronmentally friendly way to transportcommodities and materials that makethe products people use every day,”said Perry.

However, the Missouri r iver has had abit of a hiatus from freight travel. Thisyear was the rst season for a full sea-son of navigation in the last nine years.Unstable water levels over the last eight

years mean freight carriers have foundother ways to move their goods – suchas roads and railways.

In an effort to get cargo back on the

water, Perry is working with agricul-ture producers, shippers, barge lines,other state and federal agencies anddevelopers to craft the best plan. Animportant component of this effort isthe work with private industry. Perryand others have visited two of the threebiggest barge lines in the U.S. to get in-put on returning traf c to the Missouri.American Commercial Lines in Jeffer-sonville, Indiana and American ElectricPower – River Operations, located inSt Louis, have both hosted visits byMoDOT and have shared freely of their

experiences and perspectives on freightoperations on the Missouri.

Based on input from the private sectoras well as other agencies, the teamcreated the Missouri River Develop-ment Plan and has garnered supportfrom Missour i’s congressional delega-tion. If the team’s nearly one milliondollar proposal is approved, the moneywill be used to complete a market and

commodity analysis of traditionalriver products, examine potential forcontainerized shipping on the river, anddevelop an approach to more consistent

operations even if water levels are low.

While the waterways are not right forevery commodity, they can providesigni cant relief for crowded roads andrail lines. Perry points out that com-merce on the Missouri river will spuradditional economic and communitygrowth along the river’s corridor, andhelp ensure that Missouri remains at-tractive to business and development.

“All of our freight modes are importantto the total transportation system andbringing these goods back to the river

provides a balance to our system andwill bene t all Missourians,” said Perr y.

For more information regarding freightor the Missouri River DevelopmentPlan, contact Dr. Perry at 573-526-5578.

Look for more details infuture e-mails and storiesin the “Inside Minute”and Connections.

Cindy Kever is the 2009 recipient of theNational Association of State AviationOf cials’ Distinguished Service Award.Kever is the rst Missourian to receivethis annual award, which recognizesindividuals who have excelled in theirservice and dedication to aviation prog-ress and development in their state.

“Cindy has a tremendous work ethicand continues to challenge herself innew areas every day,” said Joe Pestka,MoDOT’s aviation administrator. “She

takes on increased responsibilities and

by Sue Cox

Distinguished Service in State Aviation

plays a vital role in the day-to-day op-eration of the aviation section. She alsohas a very good working relationshipwith our aviation partners and is com-mitted to providing quality customerservice.”

Some of Kever’s achievements andcontributions include working on a newWeb-based software database that helpsaviation partners manage their capitalimprovement programs, airport layoutplan certi cations and coordination of

grant administration programs.

Kever, a 30-year MoDOT employee, isa senior administrative technician inthe Aviation unit of the MultimodalOperations Division in Central Office

Change IsComingHeads up! There willbe changes in how andwhere you check outpool cars soon.

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Community Relations Manager Elaine JustusPhone 816.387.2353E-mail [email protected]

3602 N. Belt HighwaySt. Joseph, MO 64502

for more info

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Last Month in the Northwest Districtby M. Elaine Justus

The Business of MoDOTby M. Elaine Justus

Marcia Johnson

Northwest District employees (and friends) helped raise funds for the District’s Employee Fund on Aug. 22.

The last month has de nitely been atime in the Northwest District to focuson the needs of our fellow employees.On Aug. 22, 45 co-workers, family andfriends joined together for a poker runand barbecue to raise money for the Dis-trict Employee Fund.

Altogether, 14 motorcycles, three bi-cycles and 25 riders competed. The highpoker hand winners received donated

prizes and the satisfaction of knowingthey raised $515.22 for a good cause.

Raising money for the Fallen Workers’Memorial was the idea behind the “Pie-in-the Eye” fundraiser.

On the Missouri side of the river, several of the piers for the new bridgeare close to completion, and this photograph shows that work has alsobegun on construction of the cofferdam necessary to build the rst ofseveral piers that will be in the water. A cofferdam is “an enclosure in awater environment constructed to allow water to be displaced by air forthe purpose of creating a dry work environment.”

Cameron Maintenance Superinten-dent Barry Arthur and his friendLaurie Wright were there.

Assistant District Engineer TonyMcGaughy selected butterscotchas his pie avor, a decision he waslater heard to regret.

Human Resources Manager Ken-dra Ezzell took one for the team atthe “Pie-in-the-Eye” fundraiser.

Marcia Johnson

Shelly Aebersold

District Engineer Don Wichernwas selected as a target. The per-son throwing the pie was AreaEngineer Tonya Lohman, later atarget herself.

Amber Dydell

Roger Wittler

Shelly Aebersold

The most money was donated foran opportunity to put a pie in theface of Support Services Man-ager Norma Wood. Wood tried tododge the pie, but was no matchfor her assailant.

The effort raised $371.00 for the FallenWorkers’ Memorial Fund. It was part of each of three cookout luncheons heldto celebrate the large percentage of em-ployees who completed CPR training inthe Northwest District.

It’s fair to say it was well-received (atleast by the people throwing the pies- not the ones on the receiving end).

Candidates to receive a pie-in-the-eyewere chosen by the highest donationand they ranked as follows:

1st Support Services ManagerNorma Wood

2nd Operations EngineerKoelle Barbour

3rd Area EngineerTonya Lohman

4th Human Resources ManagerKendra Ezzell

5th Resident EngineerLarry Jacobson

6th District EngineerDon Wichern

7th Assistant DistrictEngineer Tony McGaughy

8th Information SystemsManager Dan Rosenbohm

9th Maintenance SuperintendentBarry Arthur

10th Area EngineerMarty Liles

Area Engineer Marty Liles helpedto cut the ribbon Sept 8.

M. Elaine Justus

Jon Morrow

Work goes on even while fundraisersare happening. On Sept. 8, MoDOTand the city of Maryville in NodawayCounty celebrated an improvement tohelp keep bicyclists safe on Route 136.And in Buchanan County, progresscontinues on the brand new AmeliaEarhart Memorial Bridge across the

Missouri River at Atchison, Kan.



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Community Relations Manager Tammy Wallace660.385.8209

E-mail [email protected]

Route 63P.O. Box 8Macon, MO 63552

for more info

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Chillicothe Clenches TeamSpirit Award

The district was very fortunate lastyear when the rst regional bridgecrew was created and based out of the

district.Three supervisors from Central Of- ce with 93 combined years of bridgemaintenance experience were chosen tolead the way, while six new employeeswith a variety of experience roundedout the team.

Here are just some of the major suc-cesses from this rst year.

• Thirty-two bridges in Districts 2 and 3have been repaired. These br idges wereconsidered critical in nature. The type

of repairs included pile replacement, re-placement of entire abutment with newpiling and back wall, expansion jointrepair, bearing replacement, replacedentire cap and piling, bracing replace-ment, and painting/sealing of surfacesexposed to salt.

• Additional specialized equipment hasbeen utilized in the district to supportother district work. Primarily the boom

by Tammy Wallace

Catherine Stortz Ripley Chillicothe Tribune

The Tour of Missouri hit the district’svery own city of Chillicothe on Sept.12. Race enthusiasts lined the streets toget autographs and watch their favorite

athletes take the ceremonial laps tobegin the sixth stage of the race headingto St. Joseph.

A Year of Success

Senior Human Resources Specialist David Williams discussed diversity in theworkplace during the quarterly supervisor’s meeting. Equal Opportunityand Diversity Director Rudy Nickens also attended. Organizational ResultsDirector Mara Campbell visited with the supervisors on the recent customersatisfaction results.

The Arrive Alive booth was a popular place during the Tour.

The district joined APAC – Missouri, Inc. and the Saline County Commissionto celebrate a new safety enhancement on Route 65 at the APAC Quarryentrance in Marshall. The improvements are the result of all three entitiesworking together to fund, design and construct the enhancement. A north-bound acceleration lane and a southbound right-turn lane were added toRoute 65 at the quarry entrance to provide added safety for trucks enteringand exiting the quarry, and for motorists traveling along Route 65.

The city did an outstand ing job plan-ning this rst-time event for their com-munity, and even won the coveted Tourof Missouri 2009 Spirit Award.

MoDOT staff attended meetings andworked with the city volunteers tomake sure everything was ready onrace day.

One big accomplishment for the districtwas a resurfacing project that was com-pleted just before the race.

Route 190, being used by the cyclists tohead out of town, was scheduled to re-ceive 12 miles of new surface this year

thanks to ARRA funding. Initially, itlooked like the contractor would not beable to begin and complete the projectprior to the race, but everything fellinto place and on race day the cycliststraveled on the brand new surface.

A popular location was the ArriveAlive tent. Bicycle safety was thetheme of items given to Tour of Mis-

souri enthusiasts, including a raf e for10 new helmets.

Congratulations to Chillicothe and toall of the Tour athletes.

truck has helped move the districttemporary bridge, unload concretepoles, and lift large tanks at variouslocations around the district. Tradition-ally a crane would have been rented to

perform this work.

• Through training, ve of the six crewmembers are now certi ed to weld inthe vertical position. Also, two indi-viduals attended painting school to betrained in proper surface preparationand application of paint.

• One of the greatest achievementsthrough the reorganization is that

project managers now work directlywith district bridge maintenance indetermining whether the life of abridge can be extended by repair or if the bridge needs to be replaced. Now,

district personnel evaluate a bridge tosee if repairs can be made to the super-structure or substructure. The repairsmay improve the ratings so the bridgeswould no longer be listed as de cient.This decision-making process now liessolely with the district, rather than withCentral Of ce.

Congratulations on a successful year.

by Scott Stephens

A smooth Route 190 gave cyclists a great ride out of town.



Across the Sta te

Connect ions

N o r t h e a s t 3D

Community Relations Manager Marisa BrownPhone 573.248.2502E-mail [email protected]

Route 61 SouthP.O. Box 1067Hannibal, MO 63401

for more info

8

O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

Zippin’ Right Alongbefore we milled it, we put the cementover the top, milled it, added water, thenbladed,” he continued.

The results? “We needed to be at eightpercent water content to be success-ful, and in the areas tested, the one thatwas closest to eight percent had the bestcompaction,” Schafer explained. “Asequipped, it was dif cult to determinethe application rate for both water andcement, but both are critical to the com-paction of the base; if we were to do thismore, we would de nitely see improve-ment in the process,” he added.

“We plan to let it set for about a year todetermine the results, unless it starts todeteriorate, then we’ll have to do some-thing,” Schafer said. Since this is a basetreatment only, a surface treatment willlikely need to be added.

The American Concrete Producers As-sociation, through MoDOT’s Organiza-tional Results division, requested a dem-onstration for the full-depth reclamation.Continental Cement donated 25 tons of cement, and several districts, includingCentral Of ce personnel, came to wit-ness the demonstration. More testing istaking place in the Southwest District.

The costs of the zipper and its trailer isabout $115,000.

Betty Crocker would be proud of MoDOT for their creative “recipes” toimprove highways. The recipe, titled“Full Depth Reclamation,” may notsound yummy, but it’s an innovative ap-proach to recycling existing pavement.

The process, rst demonstrated in theNortheast District, uses a unique pieceof equipment called the asphalt zipper.“If you think of the zipper as a mixer,the millings, cement, and water as theingredients, you can make a fairly decentroad,” said Jason Shafer, maintenanceand traf c engineer.

The zipper is an attachment that hooks toa loader. “This allows a piece of equip-ment, like a loader, to be more of a multi-use piece of equipment, as opposed toa milling machine that only can do onething,” Schafer explained.

A Variation in the RecipeThe demonstration involved two testsections 300 feet each. Working withmaintenance crews, 6-9 inches of asphaltand base were milled off each section.“On the rst 300 feet, after milling, wedistributed cement over the top, thenwater and remixed it with the zipper,”Schafer explained. The second 300 feet,

Around the District

Kids are used to being told what to do.So it really wasn’t a surprise to area highschool students when Missouri law-makers passed a new texting law. Theyweren’t even offended that drivers age

21 and under were targeted. “We knowit’s unsafe, but like other things, we haveto be reminded,” said several HannibalHigh School students who participatedin a recent press conference about thenew law.

Being “reminded” could mean up to$200 and point assessment on a driver’slicense. “Ouch!” one student exclaimedwhen he heard this statement.

Press conferences were held at Hannibal,Palmyra, Knox County and SouthShelby high schools in northeast Mis-souri to help bring awareness to the newtexting law. The Northeast RegionalBlueprint Committee, along with Direc-tor of Highway Safety Leanna DePue,Sgt. Brent Bernhardt with the MissouriState Highway Patrol, school adminis-trators, teachers, local law enforcementand students all participated. Pictures of these events are online at www.saveMO-

lives.com .

Students Say “Ouch!” toNew Texting Law

(Top) Hannibal High School Princi-pal Ryan Sharkey accepts the new“Don’t Text & Drive” sign fromDirector of Highway Safety LeannaDePue, as Dr. Jill Janes, superin-tendent, looks on. (Bottom) KnoxCounty High School students, win-ners of last year’s regional Battle ofthe Belt competition, paint a new“buckle up” stencil on their schoolparking lot.

Mike Ryan, Hannibal maintenance, Jennifer Hinson, north area engineer,Frankford Maintenance Supervisor Roy Niemeyer, and the vendor examinethe outer road after the zipper has gone through. (Inset) The zipper, inaction, has a 4-foot milling head and had to make ve passes to cover the20-foot road. The mill gauge can be set for 1/2 inch to 10 inches in depth.

Terry Burris and Keith Boling of the Bowling Greenmaintenance facility, adhere stickers to dump trucks tohelp reduce backing incidents.

MoDOT employees driving one of the60 dump trucks in northeast Missourithat have the message “If you can’tsee my mirrors, I can’t see you” haveobserved drivers are staying farther back when following the vehicle. “Thesestickers were a recommendation from

our District Safety and Health Com-mittee,” explained Safety Of cer AprilFohey. “One of the reasons we lookedinto this option is because of our highrate of backing incidents involving thepublic,” Foley explained. “So far, wehave noticed a decrease in these type of

incidents,” sheadded. Foleysaid this is apilot programwhich will beevaluated inApril 2010.

New rest area signs directing patrons to thecomment section has increased NortheastDistrict comments by 260 percent!

MoDOT’s Northeast District posts online theWOW’s! we get everyday from our customers. Goto http://wwwi/intranet/d3/MoDOTWOW.htm to

read the compliments.



K a n s a s C i t y A r e a4D

Community Relations Manager Kristy HillPhone 816.622.6327E-mail [email protected]

600 NE Colbern RoadLee’s Summit, MO 64086

for more info

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9

Employee “Truckin’ Along” with HelpFrom Two Not-For-Prot Organizationsby Kerri Lewis

kcICON Project WellUnder WayFirst Bond Bridge Edge Girder Setby Jennifer Bene eld

Norman Beeman,traf c specialistin D4, recently re-ceived great news.He and his wifeConnie won a1953 Ford PickupTruck during the2009 Kansas CityAviation Expoand Airshow. The

truck has touchedthe lives of sev-eral youths acrossthe country beforelanding a new home in Norm’s garagein Parkville, MO.

The truck was built in 2007 duringsummer camp by the Christian Rod-ders and Racers Association with thehelp of teenagers facing dif cult lifechallenges and considered high risk.CRA helps the youth by teachingthem skills through hands-on training,

giving them the opportunity to work on this project. The truck was rebuiltfrom the ground up and slightly modi- ed using a Ford Mustang front endwith a Chevy motor and transmission.The motor came out of a 1994 schoolbus. Other work included installa-tion of power brakes, steering andwindows along with air conditioningand tilt steering wheel. It received

a “school bus” yellow paint job, new

upholstery, tires and wiring. The jobwas very educational and thorough.

A local businessman, Jerry Barham,owner of Missouri Poster and Ban-ner Co. in North Kansas City, laterpurchased the truck from CRA. Jerryimmediately donated the truck toMid-America Youth Aviation As-sociation, a not-for-pro t groupthat provides educational aviationand aeronautical opportunities foryoungsters. MAYAA’s goal is to bringtogether youth and aviation profes-sionals so that young people will havethe chance to learn about the manycareers available in aviation andrelated elds. MAYAA, headed upby Ed Noyallis, raf ed off the truck through ticket sales at $5 each toprovide funding for local scholarshipsthrough MAYAA. The t ickets weresold over a year period beginning atthe 2008 Kansas City Aviation Expoand Airshow. The drawing for the

winner of the 1953 truck was held onthe last day of the 2009 Kansas CityAviation Expo a nd Airshow. Normand his wife were the lucky winnersand took possession of the truck onAug. 25.

“Connie and I went to a bike showlast winter on Front St. in KansasCity MO and, at her insistence, Ibought $20 worth of tickets, with noexpectation of ever winning. A fellowemployee, Sonya Henson was at theairshow and called me at home withthe good news. It’s been an unbeliev-able experience,” said Beeman. “I’venever known anyone that has wonsomething this signi cant, let aloneme being the win ner. The most com-mon question that we’ve been asked is

‘what will we do with it?’ At this timewe don’t have a plan in place otherthan we intend to keep it.”

Norm sits behind thewheel of his new

“school bus” yellow1953 Ford truck.

Paseo Corridor Constructors set the rst roadway edge girder on the newBond Bridge. This girder is 75 feetlong, 17 feet tall, and weighs about110,000 lbs (55 tons). The gi rder’s“shark n” will anchor one of thecable stays.

The 133-foot oor beam that setshorizontally on the pylon’s perma-

More than 28,000 people attended theSusan G. Komen Race for the CureAug. 9 at Union Station.

Debbie Huffman, Linda Mallot, Den-nis Francis, Leann Francis, SusanNelson, Mary Miller, Chris Redline,

A Race for the Cure

nent roadway strut was set Aug. 6. Itweighs about 66,500 lbs. (33.25 tons).The rust-colored tubing is temporaryfalsework. This falsework will sup-port the edge girders as they extendnorthward.

The river bridge’s roadway structureis now beginning to emerge!

Daniel Allred, Amy Nash, GlendaSaunders and Lindsay Vogt partici-pated as District 4 MoDOT represen-tatives during this worthwhile event.



Across the Sta te


Community Relations Manager Kristin GerberPhone 573.522.3375E-mail [email protected]

1511 Missouri BoulevardP.O. Box 718Jefferson City, MO 65102

for more info

10

C e n t r a l5D “During both central Missouri stages,

maintenance crews were posted alongthe routes, ready to respond if needed,”said Traf c Operations Engineer JacobRay. “Fortunately, everything wentsmoothly as the riders made their way

across the state.”Since the Stage 5 race in Sedalia wasan individual time trial, district em-ployees had to prepare for road closuresthat lasted several hours. Cyclists use aclosed circuit for a time trial, with cy-clists starting one at a time at intervalsa few minutes apart.

Eleven district employees also workedat the health and wellness expos in Jef-ferson City and Sedalia. Bicycle fans atboth locations got the chance to learnmore about what MoDOT does for

pedestrian and bicycle travel, as well aslearning about roadway safety.

The Tour of Missouri raced through theCentral District on Sept. 10 and 11 thisyear, nishing Stage 4 of the profes-sional cycling event in Jefferson Cityand Stage 5 in Sedalia. For the thirdyear in a row, Central District MoDOT

employees worked behind the scenes tomake sure the event went smoothly.

MoDOT began work on the race inJanuary, working with race of cials todetermine the routes. Communicationefforts started several weeks before theevent to inform the public on how Tourof Missouri road closures might affecttheir travel plans.

Several days prior to the race, main-tenance crews picked up debris andplaced “Expect Delays” signs on raceroutes to give motorists advanced

notice of the road closures.During the mid-Missouri portion of therace, district main-tenance employeeswere posted along theroutes to assist withsigns, debris clean-upor any other roadwayconcerns. The cus-tomer service centerremained open afterhours to keep track of the riders’ progressand take calls regard-

ing road closures.

Bicycle lanes were st riped along Sta-dium Blvd. where there was room todo so. Pedestrian improvements weremade at three intersections to bringthem up to current American With Dis-abilities Act standards.

The Stadium Blvd. improvement proj-ect cost $1.7 million and was fundedthrough he American Recovery andReinvestment Act of 2009.

The project coincided with work onProvidence Road, just south of Stadium.MoDOT worked with the city and theUniversity of Missouri to widen Provi-dence to add a turn lane and medianbarrier to increase safety. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 18 tocelebrate the improvements.

Resurfacing Project Adds Bike/ Ped Benets for Columbia

MoDOT and Columbia area of cialsrecently celebrated the completion of a project designed to bene t not onlymotorized transportation, but alsothose who “getabout” Columbia by footor on a bicycle.

The improvementswere made to Sta-dium Boulevard(Route 740) in Co-lumbia to improvesafety and traf c ow. The newhighway providesa smoother, saferdriving surface forthe thousands of vehicles that travelit every day.

MoDOT alsoworked with thecity’s bike and

pedestrian planners at Getabout Colum-bia to include improvements targetedtoward every mode of transportation.

Work included a complete resurfacingof 5.3 miles of Stadium Blvd. from U.S.Route 63 to Broadway. When the routewas re-striped, a new turn lane wasadded from westbound Stadium intothe MKT Trailhead and at West Broad-way. Turn lanes at the Stadium andProvidence intersection were length-ened to allow for better traf c ow.

Around the District

Holly Dentner

by Holly Dentner

Kristin Gerber

Holly Dentner

A cyclist and pedestrian cross at the busy intersectionof Stadium and Providence, near the University ofMissouri campus.

Transportation Proj-ect Manager JasonVanderfeltz talks witha citizen during a Sept.1 public hearing in Ful-ton. The hearing washeld for the proposedconstruction of Ful-ton’s rst roundabout,at the intersectionof Bus. Route 54 andSecond Street.

Typical trafc volumes on Stadium Boulevard rangefrom 20,000 to 37,000 vehicles per day.

District Works Behind the Scenes atTour of Missouri

Ofce Assistant Edith Walton talks to kids aboutbicycle safety at the Sedalia Expo on Sept. 11.

Holly Dentner

MoDOT Director Pete Rahn joined the City of Columbia at aSept. 4 news conference to encourage motorists to “Respectthe Red.” The city installed red light cameras at the intersec-tion of Providence (Route 163) and Broadway and at Stadium(Route 740) and Worley. During the 30-day “warning period,”225 motorists were issued warning citations for running redlights at the two intersections. Rahn applauded Columbia forbecoming the 18th Missouri city to implement red-light cam-eras, which decrease the number of violaters, crashes, anddisabling crashes.

Kristin Gerber



Community Relations Manager Marie ElliottPhone 314.340.4524Email [email protected]

1590 Woodlake DriveChestereld, MO 63017

for more info

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11

O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

S t . L o u i s A r e a6D

A Message fromVoice of D6

Special Thanks to Employees HelpingMake Tour of Missouri a Successby Kara Price with contributions by Larry Doelling and Michelle Voegele

by Michael Earls

The world’s greatest bicyclist profes-sionals sped through the St. Louisregion for the third Tour of Missouriprofessional cycling race on Labor Day,Sept. 7. MoDOT worked effectively tomake sure roads were safe for cyclists,motorists and spectators. The St.Louis City area team’s hard work anddedicated efforts contributed to a greatkickoff during Stage 1 of the competi-tive bike race.

A special thanks goes to the Broadwayand Shreve maintenance buildings, andMoDOT’s St. Louis City area traf cteam for the effort it took to get down-town St. Louis prepared for the Tour of Missouri.

“It took teamwork to thoroughly preparethe routes and then to keep it lookinggood for the Tour of Missouri,” saidLarry Doelling, MoDOT maintenancesuperintendent for St. Louis City.

“I am impressed with the dedicatedefforts from the Broadway and Shrevemaintenance crews, and how everyonereally stepped up to get this area readyfor the bike race,” added Doelling.

MoDOT hosted a fan zone informa-tional booth at the Health and WellnessExpo Center at Kiener Plaza duringthe circuit race. A special thanks goesto employees who volunteered at thebooth to promote safe driving andcycling practices.

Tour of Missouri cyclists race past the Broadway maintenance building.

“It took a coordinated team effortbetween MoDOT, St. Louis City PoliceDepartment and other partners tomake this year’s race a success,” saidMichelle Voegele, MoDOT traf c engi-neer for St. Louis City area team.

Maintenance crews temporarily closedvarious interstate ramps in downtownSt. Louis for the circuit race. Crewsmaintained the ramp closures through-out the day to ensure safety during therace. MoDOT also provided motoristswith detailed information in advanceabout the routes that were affected byTour of Missouri.

Volunteers provided fellow bike fanswith facts on MoDOT’s many travelinformation tools while answeringquestions regarding the roads.

“I sincerely appreciate the hard work and dedicated efforts by the mainte-nance buildings, traf c team and fanzone volunteers in making the City of St. Louis shine during this importantevent,” added Voegele.

For more information on the Tour of

Missouri race, visit www.modot.org/ tourofmissouri.

The northbound Interstate 55 off-ramp at Arsenal was one of theramps temporarily closed during the Tour of Missouri circuit race.

A year ago, during fall meetings, it wasannounced that District 6 was in theprocess of forming a district extensionof the statewide Employees Advi-sory Council. Thanks to the generousresponse from District 6 employees,plenty of people stepped up in order toform a diverse group representing allareas of MoDOT.

To distinguish the team from thestatewide EAC, we have chosen to callourselves the Voice of D6. Our missionis to foster and enhance an enjoy-able work environment for District 6employees, by assisting managementand employees with understanding andembracing cultural diversity, reviewingstandard practices and improving com-munications.

We hope to provide a forum wheredistrict employees can voice concernsand/or suggestions, feeling satis edthat they are both heard and receivea response in a timely manner. Weopen a dialogue with the appropriateareas of MoDOT who can best makean informed response and have theauthority to make any needed adjust-ments to a speci c situation. This isdone con dentially, leaving names outof any discussions with parties outsideof the team.

In the brief history of the team, wehave already researched 10 employeeconcerns and initiated the Ride ForRemembrance challenge to the restof the state to raise money for theFallen Workers’ Memorial. Duringmonthly meetings, we also showcase

Voice of D6 (District 6 Employee Advisory Extension Council)

guest speakers from various areas of MoDOT to better inform our members,who can then spread the word to eachof our work areas.For more information, go to the Dis-trict 6 intranet homepage. Click on theVoice Of D6 link to:

View the team members.Click on the name under any teammember’s picture for that person’sphone number and ane-mail address. This way, a question,comment or concern may be sent toan individual member.Read meeting highlights, linkedthrough archived meeting minutes.Open an EAEC Concern Form,which can be submitted in oneof the following ways:-Fill out and submit it to the currentteam leader.

-Fill out, save to your local driveand attach it to an e-mail to anyteam member

-Print out and send it through themail.

-Pick up a copy and ll out a formavailable in the WorkLife Center,or in the many break roomsthroughout the district.

Read through previously discussedemployee concerns.View an FAQs section.Open the statewide EAC link Read the team’s bylaws.View the team’s brochure, which isalso available in break rooms and theWorkLife Center.

Thanks for caring enough to voiceyour concerns. Together we can make abetter, safer work environment.



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O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

12

S o u t h w e s t 7D

Community Relations Manager Lori MarblePhone 417.629.3300E-mail [email protected] E. 32nd StreetJoplin, MO 64804

for more info

Connect ions

by Lori MarbleRibbon Cut in Bearcreek

Bates County Resurfacing Includes First-in-Nation Asphalt Mixtureby Wendy Brunner-Lewis / photos by Michael Middleton

A Bates County resurfacing projectthat uses Thiopave, a new paving tech-nology mixing sulphur with asphalt,marks the rst large-production job tobe completed in the United States.

Ideker, Inc., was approached by ShellOil Company about using their sulphurproduct in the asphalt mixture on thesouthbound lanes of Route 71 from

Butler to Rich Hill. Ideker proposed touse Thiopave at no additional cost toMoDOT, and the end result would meetstate speci cations.

District Construction and MaterialsEngineer Michael Middleton spent aday on the project and said the sulphursmell really wasn’t that bad.

“Some of Ideker’s employees werewearing face masks or respirators dueto the smell and irritating steam com-ing off the mixture,” Middleton said.

“If it’s hot outside or there’s a slightbreeze when the asphalt is beinglaid, the smell can be irri-

This equipment injects sulphur pieces into the mixture.

Sulphur before it is mixed into theasphalt.

The sulphur stockpile at theasphalt plant.

Several

Bearcreek com-munitymembers,State Rep.Mike

Parsons, Southwest District EngineerBecky Baltz and State Sen. DelbertScott cut the ceremonial ribbon duringa recent dedication ceremony on Route32 in Cedar County. Rep. Parsons, alongtime supporter of the project,coined the phrase “Bearcreek or Bust”and helped spark a rebirth of interest in

that section of Missouri roadway.The Route 32 corridor east of Stockton

was reviewed in a 1967 report. An im-

portant corridor between Stockton andBolivar, as well as recreational accessto Stockton Lake, the project had foursharp horizontal curves that were post-ed at 25 mph. The original alignments,presented at public hearings in 1974,were shelved after public opposition.

In 1986 the bridges to the east overMoore’s Branch and Bearcreek werereplaced and the road was widened. In2000, MoDOT acquired right of wayalong Route 32 to move forward withthe project. The decades-old planswere re-evaluated using practical de-

sign, which led to a redesign made pos-sible by the affordable cost.

Commission Treated toDistrict 7 Hospitalityby Lori Marble

Members of the Missouri Highwaysand Transportation Commission weretreated to a trolley tour of Joplin anda reception on the deck of the JoplinRegional Airport when they visitedthe Southwest District for the monthlymeeting Sept. 2.

Representatives from the Joplin AreaChamber of Commerce and the city

gave a guided tour of Joplin. High-lights included a review of Interstate-44 interchanges and a cost-share proj-ect at 32nd and Main streets.

Commission members, senior manage-ment team members and area leaderswere treated to a reception at the air-port followed by a Greek-themed din-ner at the conclusion of the trolley tour.

MoDOT Director Pete Rahn and Assistant Public WorksDirector Jack Schaller share a laugh before joining thetrolley tour.

Lori Marble

Randy Hobart

tating to the eyes and throat.”

Middleton said air quality tests weretaken, and results show no differentlevels of hazards than from “usual”asphalt mixes.

According to Shell, “Replacing a pro-portion of the bitumen in the asphaltmix with Shell Thiopave increasesoverall mix strength and results inimproved loadbearing capacity of the nished road.”

Thiopave is only successful whenusing “warm” mix technology. Shellused a South African wax in themixture that sets the asphalt at 265-275 degrees Fahrenheit instead of theusual 320-340 degrees Fahrenheit.

Studies show a 60 percent reduction involatile organic compounds with the

sulphur warm mix compared to con-ventional mixtures, and the warm mixasphalt is recyclable.



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S p r i n g f i e l d A r e a

D

Community Relations Manager Bob EdwardsPhone 417.895.7713E-mail [email protected]

3025 E. KearneyP.O. Box 868Springeld, MO 65801

for more info

8

13

1

“Talkin’ Transportation” Call-In Radio Show

KWTO 560 AM, Springeld

10-10:50 a.m. Wednesdaysradiospringeld.com

Safety, Precision EmphasizedIn Snowplow, Loader Trainingby Bob Edwards

Safe and precise operation of equipmentare the keys to plowing snow. Thoseskills were practiced and assessed inDistrict 8’s “snow academy” in earlySeptember – well before anyone has toworry about snow akes falling ontopavement.

The 321 district employees who mustplow snow went through a half-day of training at the District Of ce complex.

Workers from two to

ve maintenanceshops and other work groups werescheduled for morning or afternoon ses-sions over seven days.

“It’s a refresher,” Assistant District En-gineer Matt Seiler said “It helps a driverbe safer and do a more effective job.”

Plowing snow is a dif cult task for em-ployees, Seiler said, “and they make itlook easy.” It’s not a bad idea to think,rehearse and refresh a little on the pro-

ceedures, he said.

Each participant ran two courses – onein a snowplow-equipped dump truck and another in a loader – to simulateplowing snow and loading salt. Eachwent through a pre-trip inspection ona truck and a loader and had a class-room session to review operation of thecomputerized salt spreaders and vehiclepreventive maintenance. A written test

was included.“Everything went exceptionally well,”said District Maintenance EngineerDave O’Connor. Average scores wereup percent over 2008.

In a note to employees who wentthrough the training, O’Connor said,

“Once again you’ve demonstrated yourcommittment to your job and the prideyou take in doing a job well.”

Snowplow/Loader Training Scenes

1. Roadside Manager David Cissell judges the loader course.

2. Drury Senior Maintenance Worker Jimmy Simpson, left, checks his snowplow course results withOfce Maintenance Superintendent Dan Ream.

3. Humansville Maintenance Worker Mike Swearingin drives thesnowplow course.

4. Branson Maintenance Crew Leader Tim Smith, left, inspects a loaderwith Equipment Specialist Larry Jeffreys as judge.

5. Taking a written test are Manes Senior Maintenance Worker Ron Jones,left, and Ava Senior Maintenance Worker Casey Johnson.

6. Buffalo Senior Maintenance Worker Martin Hosiner runs the loadercourse.

4

32

6

5

D8 at WorkBranson Senior Construction Inspector Terry Morgan tests a concrete sample(top photo) during paving on Route 14 at Route 65 in Ozark as part of theinterchange reconstruction project.

Going over plans with contractor workers during a bridge demolition at theI-44/Glenstone Avenue interchange reconstruction project (bottom photo) isSpringeld Senior Construction Inspector Howard Henderson, right.

six



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14

S o u t h C e n t r a l 9D

Community Relations Manager Christi TurklesonPhone 417.469.6203E-mail [email protected]

910 Old Springeld RoadP.O. Box 220Willow Springs, MO 65793

for more info

South Central crews provided assistancewith trafc management, roadwayconditions, and travel safety informationfor the Tour of Missouri this year. Crewswere rewarded by announcer commentsthat the roads looked great for Stage 3of the race, from Farmington to Rolla.

Construction was recently completedon a realignment project on Route 32 inDent County. Work included realign-ment of 1.3 miles of roadway, whicheliminated one of the six existing

curves, and reduced the curve from 15degrees or greater to six degrees. Grad-ing, drainage, the addition of two-footpaved shoulders, and resurfacing of Route 32 was also included.

Customer Teri Rowan was so apprecia-tive of the realignment, she wrote

Citizens of Van Buren expressedconcerns about the lack of a left turnoption at the truck stop near Route D.They indicated that drivers were oftenconfused at that location, and wouldoccasionally drive the wrong directionon Route 60.

In response to those safety concerns,District 9 crews worked day andnight to provide a left-turn option atthat location. Crews from Van Buren,

Kindergarten, rst- and second-gradestudents in District 9 participated in anew safety education program this Sep-tember. Students of Success ElementarySchool were the rst to experienceBuckle Buddy! The Buckle Buddycharacter is a dragon featured in eachelement of the curriculum promotingproper seatbelt and booster seat use.

The Buckle Buddy educational pro-gram was developed to assist childrenin developing safe passenger restrainthabits at an early age, and was designedto be educational, interactive and fun.The program uses several interactivetools to help children learn and retain

road safety messages.Participating students learned theBuckle Buddy song, heard theBuckle Buddy story, and receiveda Buckle Buddy activity book,which all reinforced the safetymessage. In addition, studentsreceived pledge cards and acerti cate of completion fromBuckle Buddy.

South Central Certi- ed AppraiserLisa Durnell, whopresented BuckleBuddy to Suc-cess Elementarystudents, said

District 9 Crews Ensure SmoothRide for Tour of Missouri

District 9 Crews Coordinatefor a Swift Resolution

Ellsinore, South Weekend Crew andBridge Maintenance, coordinated withthe Van Buren Construction Of ce andcrews from Roadside to complete theproject in just two weeks.

Maintenance Superintendent Mark Simpson said he was pleased with theproject. “There were no traf c issuesand everyone really came togetherto make this happen quickly,” saidSimpson.

Route 32 Project ReceivesCustomer Praise

a thank-you note to District 9 andposted a thank-you sign on Route 32 inDent County. Ms. Rowan stated in herletter that she was pleased to “be ableto lose that terrible curve … as these

curves have been such a distraction anda headache … I believe you have savedlives in the future.”

Construction was completed by H.R.Quadri Contractors, LLC of Van Buren,Mo. and began on June 1.

the curriculum was well received. “Allof the communications materials were

very well received and the kids lovedeverything about it,” she said, “Theteachers and coordinator loved it too!”

South Central Regional CoalitionCoordinator Kelly Martin also said theprogram was a success. “We receivedexcellent feedback from the school. Theschool coordinator said the kids werestill excited and had retained the safetyinformation when they were quizzed 2days later,” said MartinSchool Coordinator for SuccessElementary, Marilyn Knutson, indi-cated that the children had shared their

knowledge at home. “They say theyhave already reminded parents

about buckling up,”Knutson said.

Buckle Buddy Program TargetsYoung Students

Buckle Buddy



Across the Sta te


S o u t h e a s t 10D

Community Relations Manager Nicole ThieretPhone 573.472.6632E-mail [email protected]

2675 N. Main StreetP.O. Box 160Sikeston, MO 63801

for more info

15

A ribbon cutting was heldfor one of District 10’s rstcompleted Recovery Actprojects on Route K in CapeCounty. Special guests in-cluded (l-r in photo at left)District Engineer Mark Shel-ton, Cape Girardeau MayorJay Knudtson, President ofDelta Companies Ric Neu-bert, Tracey Glenn with theCape Chamber; and Cape

City Manager Scott Meyer.

Around the Southeast District

Establishment Creek Ribbon Cutting

Nearly 90 people attended a ribbon-cut-ting ceremony on Aug. 14 to commem-orate completion of the EstablishmentCreek Bridge in Ste. Genevieve Countynear Bloomsdale.

Guest speakers included: Tom Schulteon behalf of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond; KathyWaltz on behalf of U.S. Rep. Russ Car-nahan; State Rep. Joe Fallert, District104; and MoDOT Southeast DistrictEngineer Mark Shelton.

Other special guests included area FireChief John Pfaff, Mr. Mark Zadjura andMs. Betty Carver and her family.

“We’d like to thank Chief Pfaff forpartnering with MoDOT to ensure thatarea residents remained safe while the

bridge was underconstruction,” saidShelton. “We’dalso like to thank Mr. Zadjura, whohas been deliveringmeals for ‘Mealson Wheels’ andhad his originalroute signi cantly lengthened duringthe construction of the new bridge. Hemade sure those on the ‘dead-end side’

of the bridge on Route V still got theirmeals, and he never complained. Toboth of these special guests, on behalf of MoDOT, I would like to thank you.”

Another special guest recognized wasMs. Carver and her family.

(above) Ceremony speakers and other specialguests, stand by as Ms. Betty Carver cuts theceremonial ribbon.

Ms. Betty Carver and her family (left) werehonored at the Establishment Creek Ribboncut-ting ceremony. Ms. Carver cut the ribbon to theoriginal bridge in 1930.

District 10 Teams Up toHelp Educate Area Youth

“We were honored to have Ms. Carverand her family as a part of the cer-emony,” said Shelton. “Ms. Carver cut

the ribbon to the original bridge [thatwas replaced by this new bridge] in1930 when she was only eight years old.So it was a true honor to have her cutthe ribbon during this ribbon-cuttingceremony too.”

Senior Trafc Studies Specialists TomSanders and Derek Fichtel speak tothe Malden High School’s Drivers’Education class in June.

Cape County students attend“Transportation Days” at the CrispMuseum’s Summer Academy, locat-ed on SEMO’s River Campus; MoDOTwas one of the presenters.

During the Madison County SummerSafety Fair, Community Relationsand Customer Service Representa-tive Alberta Green speaks with stu-dents about buckling up and othersafety issues.

Trafc Operations Engineer SteveHoernig answers students’ questionsduring a special “Safety Day” at thePark Hills Elementary School.

Regional Maintenance SupervisorTom Fellows allows kids to exploreMoDOT equipment during the An-nual Osage Center Park and Rec Day;an educational booth was also setup indoors.

MoDOT employees continuously strive

to educate the public on safety aspectsand on MoDOT’s practices. While theeducation component is normally a dutyassociated more closely with some jobsthan others, employees from many dif-ferent departments in District 10 havebecome actively involved in variouseducational efforts.

MoDOT employees from traf c, humanresources, engineering and maintenancehave recently offered their resourcesand expertise during special educationalevents throughout the district. Throughthis teamwork, D10 was able to visit

several area schools, reaching studentsfrom preschool to high school.

The Missouri Highways and Trans-portation Commission awarded thecontract during its regular meeting inFebruary. The $1,118,236 contract wasawarded to Goodwin Bros. Construc-tion, Co., Crystal City, Mo. Work beganin March and was completed in August.

D10 employees (left) recentlyworked at the Missouri StateFair: Facility Operations Supervi-

sor Dave Fleming; Senior DesignTechnician Sheryl Wunderlich;Senior Highway DesignerGretchen Hanks; IntermediateDesign Technician Ricky Crabb,Senior Design Technician RachelBlalock, HR Manager Steve Her-mann; and District InformationSystems Manager Bob Dodd.

The Southeast Dis-trict held a blooddrive in Sikeston.

Hayti MaintenanceCrew Leader Henry

Berry (right) wasone of the donors.

Special Guests Honored



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MissionOur mission is to provide aworld-class t ransportationexperience that delights our customers and promotes aprosperous Missouri.

This month, the launch of Windows 7and Of ce 2007 begins. By now, mostemployees have been introduced to thenew products, either through training,the intranet Web site or the home-useprogram.

But there’s one more feature to helpmake the transition as smooth as possi-ble. Once you have Of ce 2007 loaded

on your computer, you’ll notice a link

Interactive Training for Of ce 2007at Your Fingertipsby Charles Hiebert

under the “All Programs” area calledMicrosoft Of ce Interactive Training.

This feature is an interactive compari-son between Of ce 2003 and Of ce2007. Of ce 2003 products have analmost identical interface to MoDOT’scurrent software. Once loaded, youcan visit a display that replicates theold Of ce 2003 interface. Simply go to

the action you want to perform and the

program will then show you where to nd the same feature in Of ce 2007.

“It’s a very handy quick reference,”explained Ed Martin, Information Sys-tems project manager. “And it’s right atyour ngertips.”

Microsoft Of ce Interactive Trainingis yet another way to learn the changesto these fundamental programs. For

more information and online training

After a heavy snowfall hit Memphis,Tenn., last February, the TennesseeDepartment of Transportation con-tacted MoDOT to learn more about ourwinter operation guidelines and equip-ment. The two DOTs met Aug. 18-19 in

Sikeston to discuss best practices.

“It was an opportunity to be a goodneighbor and help another state,” saidMike Shea, MoDOT Central Of cemaintenance liaison engineer.

The rst day was spent discussingguidelines and training procedures.MoDOT Central Of ce maintenanceand District 10 staff strategized winteroperation decision-making with 25TDOT employees. Dan Sherbo, District9 maintenance supervisor, presented onthe use of beet juice in winter opera-

tions.The second day featured a tour of the new Malden maintenance facil-ity. TDOT staff examined MoDOT’sfacilities and equipment including a saltstorage structure, a salt brine maker, atow plow and a snowplow truck with a14-foot plow.

Tennessee uses 8- and 10-foot snow-plows in some parts of their state and

opportunities, visit the Next GenerationDesktop intranet page at wwwi.

If you need assistance, or the interac-tive training doesn't have the answeryou're after, contact an NGD Red ShirtTeam member in your area. They'll be

able to help.

Tennessee Knows There’s Snow Place Like MissouriNeighbor states exchange winter operation best practicesby Revee White

is considering upgrades. Because Ten-nessee does not get the same weatheras Missouri, it’s not practical for themto have the same level of snow- ghtingability but some upgrades were neededfor storms, such as the one that swept

through Memphis last winter.

“We don’t experience the same winterweather, so they have to take every-thing with a g rain of salt,” said Mike

Shea, central of ce maintenance liaisonengineer. “They have to weigh invest-ment based on the bene ts they willreceive.”

MoDOT also had the opportunity toshare information on our EmergencyOperations Center, which has changedover the past few years. MoDOT Cen-tral Of ce and all districts now com-municate throughout the storm to keep

MoDOT demonstrated how the above dump truck tted with a 26-foot right-handedtow plow operates during winter operations.

up with any weather developments.

“We’re working the storm rather thanhaving the storm work us,” Shea said.

The next step is getting other statesinvolved in our EOC operation. During

the peer exchange, MoDOT invitedTennessee to join the EOC. By workingwith states like Kansas and Oklahoma,Missouri is able to track the stormsbefore they hit the state. Adding Ten-

nessee allows their state tobe prepared as winter stormshead east.

TDOT’s Director of Mainte-nance Greg Duncan thankedMoDOT for the peer ex-change.

“Your team really did a greatjob of opening up theiroperation to us,” said Duncan.

“I’m glad our guys heard theemergency operations discus-sion, and the discussion onthe importance of plowingrather than burning the snowand ice away with salt.”

Documents

Connections: Oct. 2009