2015 RECAP

658 North 1500 West • Orem, Utah 84057 • 801-227-8000

Updated Logo, New Video Series Focus on Employee Loyalty to “Orange”

Inside:Message from Teri 2Plow Locator Launched 3Thanks, Snow Fighters! 3Congrats to Retirees 4Redwood Advances 5Lane Closure App Tested 5Pre-NEPA on S.R. 73 6S.R. 45 Partial Funding 6Payson Public Meeting 7Projects Given Names 8MVC Comes to Utah Co. 9Positive Annual Survey 10

UDOT’s logo has been blue for nearly 10 years, but many people associate UDOT with the color orange – you might think of orange barrels, safety vests, snow plows or caution signs for crews.

UDOT Region Three

Carlos at a taping of “Talking Orange”

Although blue is effective in portraying our agency’s trustworthiness and professionalism, UDOT executive leaders decided it was time to add a splash of orange. The decision was not just an aesthetic one, but an intentional move to represent UDOT’s employees.

Updated Logo Introduced

In 2014, UDOT upgraded its logo to reflect the new tag line, “Keeping Utah Moving.” This fall, three dashed bars below the “U” were updated with orange, representing the important work of UDOT employees.

“You’re smart and creative. You’re innovative. You’re going to work hard, not because that’s what you do but because it’s who you are,” Executive Director Carlos Braceras said during the reveal of the new logo at the 2015 Annual UDOT Conference. “In honor of you, and your commitment to UDOT’s Vision, Mission, Strategic Goals and Values, we’re going to add a splash of Orange.” Carlos explained that the three orange lines in the updated logo are about UDOT’s employees and the well-deserved respect for employees’ hard work and dedication. “[Orange] represents you and your passion.”

New Video Series Launched

The employee focus of the logo is also reflected in a new video series called “Talking Orange.” Based on the last employee survey, senior leaders learned that many people don’t know what’s going on in the

Department outside of their small group. In response, the video series was created to share information and answer questions.

“We’ve heard from you... So we’re going to tell you and show you what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it.” Carlos said. Carlos will be filming short videos around the state in an effort to give employees an inside look at what is going on in the Department and what is on his mind. In the first video, he traveled to Tooele to talk about connected vehicles. He also went on location in a maintenance shed to personally say thank you to plow drivers. In January, Carlos highlighted the annual strategic plan.

Employees are encouraged to submit questions, which Carlos will address, to help the videos become more interactive.

If you have a suggestion for a topic for Talking Orange, or you want a question to be answered in an upcoming Q&A session with Carlos, please e-mail talkingorange@utah.gov. See Talking Orange videos on the UDOT YouTube channel.

Page 3 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Message from Teri Newell, Region DirectorWhy do you want to be safe?

I asked this question of several people, including myself, as I was preparing to give a presentation for the UDOT conference on safety. I spent a lot of time thinking about this and many other aspects of safety. It came down to a very simple answer: Caring. We either have people that care about us, or people or things that we care about. That’s why we’re safe. It’s not about numbers and graphs and trend lines or goals; It’s about people.

You’re not going to be safe because I tell you to in a loud voice, or because I

ask you nicely and say please. You will be safe because you decide to. Think about who or what you care about the most and keep that visual in your head. Next time you question whether you should take the time or energy to do your task safely, think about what you pictured. That’s why you need to be safe. And if you think of it, send me a picture of what you care about and I will update our collage. The more we share our reasons to be safe the more we all respect each other’s safety choices.

Overheard: Quotes about Safetyfrom around the Region “Safety is a state of mind; you have to train yourself to look for hazards and learn from mistakes.”

“There is no such thing as bad luck, just bad judgement.”

“Sometimes it takes more effort to be safe; it may be a pain, but it is worth the time and effort.”

Got Pictures?Don’t wait until July to send in photos and videos. We love to see photos of our crews at work during the winter!

Send to Kim Krein (kkrein@utah.gov) or Eileen Barron (ebarron@utah.gov) throughout the year. They will be considered in the 2016 photo contest and provide great material for sharing on UDOT’s social media. Marshall Terry’s video of plowing S.R. 92 in December made it into the Snowplow Thank You Video posted to UDOT’s YouTube channel.

“We either have people that care about us, or people or things that we care about. That’s why we’re safe.”

Page 3 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Public App Layer Launched for Christmas TravelUDOT launched the new snow plow locator layer in the UDOT Traffic app in time for snow storms that moved through the state on Christmas Day.

The public app layer is part of the weather portion of UDOT Traffic and provides near real-time location information for UDOT’s fleet of more than 500 snow plows using the Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) system technology.

The AVL system helps our staff deploy the snowplow fleet more efficiently and

allows the public to see which areas have been plowed. A more detailed AVL site is available to UDOT staff with password protection. The AVL information is used internally to help manage resources and make better-informed decisions when collaborating between stations and regions during snow storms.

women out keeping us safe.It’s a white Christmas and because of that, we have many men and

The new app showed snow plows out in full force on Christmas day.

Terrific Tweets:

#ThankYouSnowFighters I just wanted to write and thank all of the men and women that made the roads safe to drive on Christmas morning. We drove from Bluffdale to Spanish Fork on I-15 and the roads were very well groomed and safe. We saw about 8 plows on the road at once going north and I felt gratitude for those people willing to give up time with their families to make the roads safe. Please pass along my gratitude along with all those that were on the roads today. Thank you; your sacrifice was noticed and appreciated! – Melissa Beck, Friday, Dec. 25, 2015

I live in Utah County, up behind Cabela’s at the top of the mountain, so every day during the winter my commute is an adventure. This morning I had the opportunity to watch a snowplow crew first hand. Six of the vehicles, two with trailers in tow, and the exterior truck sporting two blades (one on the front and one on the side - oh, wouldn’t I love to have that set up on my car during rush hour) escorted the rush hour traffic up and over the Point of the Mountain. With incredible expertise, coordination and finesse, these drivers led the pack of cars over the Point. I watched them exit at the Bangerter Highway off-ramp and reconvene to head south again on I-15. I can only imagine what a thankless job this might be at times, but kudos to the department that I am sure is made up of not only the drivers, but dispatch, mechanics, management, etc. – all of which deserve the thanks and appreciation of all of us that commute every day. Please forward along my heart-felt thank you to the UDOT staff that works so hard for all of us! – Ginette Bott, Chief Development Officer for the Utah Food Bank, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015

SR-92 avalanche control near Sundance, February 1, 2016. Photo by Chris Covington

Page 5 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Seven Region Three employees retire with a combined 210 years of serviceThanks to each of these retirees for your dedicated years of service and the many contributions you made to keeping Utah moving!

Lynda Seckletstewa worked for UDOT 30 years and helped train many rotational engineers, including current Deputy Director Shane Marshall. Shane presented Lynda with a retirement plaque and noted that Lynda worked on more than 400 projects during her time at UDOT.

Glen Whalberg retired from his job as South Area Supervisor with 34 years of service. District Engineer Bob Westover said that Glen had been instrumental in many changes in the department over the years and thanked him for his leadership.

Arnold Remund retired from the Duchesne Maintenance Station with 31 years of service.

Steve Johnson retired from the Incident Management Team after 15 years of service. Steve said he had the best job in the department because he got to work with a variety of people.

Roberto Castanada was honored for his 21 years of service. Area Supervisor Mike Cole briefly spoke about Roberto, stating that he was dependable and will be missed.

Mike Sabey retired after a record-breaking 50 years of service. Mike was a hard worker and performed nearly every job possible at the Region during his 50 years.

Norm Allman retired from the Paint Crew with 32 years of service to the state. His extended family joined the celebration held in the carpenter’s shop.

Redwood Road reconstruction in Saratoga Springs advanced to 2017Funds to widen and reconstruct Redwood Road scheduled one year earlier.

Due to rapid population growth west of Utah Lake, UDOT has accelerated its widening project on Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs. Restructuring the funding of the project will allow the project to be completed in 2017, a year ahead of its original schedule.

“Saratoga Springs is seeing rapid growth and we have been hearing concerns about travel delay, especially in the mornings,” said Matt Parker, UDOT project manager. “This widening and reconstruction project will provide two travel lanes in each direction and a center turn lane that will keep traffic moving through Saratoga Springs.”

UDOT and Saratoga Springs City had been in discussions about potential interim solutions to ease congestion south of Pioneer Crossing prior to full reconstruction. As engineers evaluated the cost-benefit of short-term solutions, UDOT determined that it was better to build the full solution sooner.

Preconstruction activities such as design and property acquisition will occur in 2016 in anticipation of bidding the project next fall.

Page 5 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Redwood Road reconstruction in Saratoga Springs advanced to 2017Funds to widen and reconstruct Redwood Road scheduled one year earlier.

Due to rapid population growth west of Utah Lake, UDOT has accelerated its widening project on Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs. Restructuring the funding of the project will allow the project to be completed in 2017, a year ahead of its original schedule.

“Saratoga Springs is seeing rapid growth and we have been hearing concerns about travel delay, especially in the mornings,” said Matt Parker, UDOT project manager. “This widening and reconstruction project will provide two travel lanes in each direction and a center turn lane that will keep traffic moving through Saratoga Springs.”

UDOT and Saratoga Springs City had been in discussions about potential interim solutions to ease congestion south of Pioneer Crossing prior to full reconstruction. As engineers evaluated the cost-benefit of short-term solutions, UDOT determined that it was better to build the full solution sooner.

Preconstruction activities such as design and property acquisition will occur in 2016 in anticipation of bidding the project next fall.

UDOT participated in the annual MAG Transportation open house in October. Utah County cities, UTA and MAG were present to discuss future transportation plans for Utah County.

The S.R. 132 project near Nephi tested the contractor lane closure app during the 2015 construction season. The app makes it easy for construction supervisors to confirm closures or edit changes from a smart phone. The contractor app is part of the lane closure notification initiative to alert the public to real-time lane closures on the UDOT Traffic app.

UDOT’s Lane Closure Mobile App Put to the TestDuring the 2015 construction season, UDOT rolled out its new Lane Closure Reporting mobile application for contractors and UDOT maintenance crews.

Using the app, contractors or UDOT employees can activate, modify, or cancel lane closures from the field - automatically alerting the TOC, and other key parties (REs, PMs, etc.), when closures go or lanes reopen.

Users can make changes as needed while on site: extending or shortening duration of a closure; adjusting milepost limits as work progresses; or canceling closures when weather or equipment issues arise. The app allows REs, traffic engineers, PMs and others to see when and where lanes are being closed on their projects. For Region leadership, the app provides visibility for lane closures on key routes throughout the region.

Several construction projects and maintenance crews used the app in 2015 as an extended beta test. Region Three projects that used the app include the U.S. 40 resurfacing from S.R. 208 to Duchesne; the S.R. 132 project near Nephi; and the I-15 resurfacing south of Santaquin. Modifications are planned based on user feedback. More contractors and crews will be trained to use the app prior to the 2016 construction season, and it will be steadily rolled out for use on more construction and maintenance projects statewide.

Page 7 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

S.R. 73 Study Provides Model for Pre-NEPA PlanningThe 2040 long range plan shows the need for Cory Wride Memorial Highway (S.R. 73) to be a full freeway in the next 10 years, but what will it look like and how much space will be needed?

PM Matt Parker talks with traffic engineer Ivan Hooper during a S.R. 73 planning study workshop. The study recommends preserving corridor for a future freeway with frontage roads concept. An environmental study will begin mid-2016 to conduct a more thorough evaluation and determine a roadway alignment.

These questions motivated UDOT to initiate a pre-NEPA planning study in coordination with Eagle Mountain City to define a corridor concept. The result is a recommended freeway with frontage roads concept that will help UDOT and Eagle Mountain City make planning decisions and preserve the corridor.

Traffic analysis demonstrated the need for three lanes in each direction between Pioneer Crossing Extension and Ranches Boulevard. Two lanes in each direction are needed further west between Ranches Boulevard and Eagle Mountain Boulevard. The study also provided a preliminary analysis of how the freeway might function in this six mile section. That analysis showed that there was less impact to property, traffic operations and cost to build a frontage road system to maintain local access when compared to building full interchanges.

This need for local planning fit with ongoing conversations between UDOT Planning and Environmental divisions about what work should be done

between defining a project in the long range plan and initiating an environmental document. Sometimes termed “Planning and Environmental Linkage,” or PEL, the study team looked at several models across the country to create a scope of work that would advance defining a technically-feasible concept without performing work that should be accomplished during environmental phase.

The S.R. 73 study may be a model for future similar studies. The planning study also helped determine the need to move quickly into the environmental phase due to potential property impacts.

During this pre-NEPA stage, there is not enough information or analysis to establish a final alignment. Technical data and stakeholder input helped UDOT advance the next steps with $2 million in funding for the environmental study, expected to begin mid-2016.

Partial Funding Acquired for S.R. 45 Fix Re-opening S.R. 45 will be a multi-million dollar project.

$1.5 million was allocated for repairs needed to re-open State Route 45 south of Vernal. The Utah Transportation Commission approved the funds in December during their monthly business meeting.

“The $1.5 million is a start on the funds needed to construct a long-lasting solution that will allow us to re-open S.R. 45,” said Larry Montoya, UDOT project manager. “We worked through December to determine the best solution, and the options we evaluated were estimated to cost up to $3 million.” Options included re-aligning the roadway to avoid unstable soils or a bridge over the impacted area.

S.R. 45 was closed in July 2015 due to concerns with soil erosion under the roadway. Although the surface of the road remains intact, subsurface soils were determined to be unstable. The road crosses over a gilsonite vein that was mined during the mid-seventies. The roadway closure was a safety precaution.

The UDOT design team evaluated potential solutions for the repair during a formal risk assessment workshop. The geotechnical report was completed in December. As a result, the decision was made to maintain the existing roadway alignment and construct a simple span bridge across the unstable horizontal mine shaft. “We expect to bid a project and start construction in fall of 2016,” Montoya said. “We have an exceptionally talented and dedicated team that is working hard to deliver the project on a very short timeline.”

An 8-mile detour route is currently in place on Little Bonanza Road, a Uintah County roadway. UDOT crews will maintain the detour route through the winter to provide access around the S.R. 45 closure.

Page 7 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Payson Public Meeting Presents 17 Alternatives Using Unique Meeting Format

Payson Ingerchange EIS Story MapAn online story map guided the discussion and is available on the project website for people who want to review the alternatives at home in more detail. The story map provides access to detailed alternatives screening information and maps of more than 17 alternatives that were considered as part of the environmental process. See the story map on the Payson Main Street Interchange EIS website -- click on the “alternatives” tab at the top.

More than 100 people attended the Payson I-15 Main Street Interchange Environmental Impact Statement public meeting December 3, 2015.

The Payson public meeting included small group table discussions to orient attendees to the EIS study process and range of alternatives before commenting on 17 alternatives under consideration.

The study team developed an innovative meeting format and tools to help people understand the study process and prepare businesses and residents to comment on 17 alternatives.

“We knew that there was a lot of information to take in,” said Region Three Communications Manager Eileen Barron. “A traditional open house where people wander in and look at boards was not going to be effective. It was important to the study team to help people understand both the process and alternatives in order to gain meaningful feedback.”

The meeting started with an opportunity to view a six-minute video of community leaders discussing the EIS process. Interviewees included a Payson Main Street resident, general managers of McDonald’s and Payson Market, and representatives of Geneva Rock and the area hospital. Then, small groups were seated at tables with a study representative to give a process overview and orient participants to the categories of alternatives. A monitor was placed at each table for people to see content of a GIS Story Map that contained all the information available at the public

meeting. After the short presentation and an opportunity to ask questions, people were invited to look at large format alternatives maps and provide comments.

Positive feedback from the public and technical staff at the meeting demonstrated that the meeting format was a success. The

study team is currently reviewing public comments and will use the information to help narrow the number of alternatives to four or less for detailed study in the Draft EIS. The formal public hearing for the Draft EIS is expected in mid-2016 with a Record of Decision by the end of the year.

Page 9 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

What’s in a Name?

Names Determined for Two Utah County Projects

The Provo Orem TRIP project hosted a public open house to present 60 percent design plans. The TRIP project is anticipated to be under construction mid-2016 with completion in 2018.

First it was “The Gap” and then “Baby Gap,” followed by “Blue Zone,” which referred to the unfinished segment of I-15 reconstruction in Utah County. Now, the final four miles of I-15 to be widened and reconstructed has a name that will stick through construction starting in 2020:

I-15 Technology Corridor

“The Technology Corridor refers to the tremendous growth in the tech-related industry in northern Utah County. The area around S.R. 92 and Thanksgiving Point is booming with new development, which is why we are planning the future project now,” said Craig Hancock, the Tech Corridor’s UDOT project manager.

The I-15 Tech Corridor project team has defined a vision for full build-out that includes a new north Lehi interchange and direct connect ramps with the future Mountain View Corridor freeway. These components will not be part of the upcoming funded project, but understanding the full vision allows the project team to make sure short-term decisions don’t preclude longer-term solutions.

“The previous planning and environmental documents looked to the year 2030,” Craig said. “We wanted to make sure what we

build in 2020 is going to function well into the future, so we updated the traffic analysis and looked at the full 2040 solution.”

$450 million is available to begin construction in 2020. The project will include widening and reconstruction of I-15 from Lehi Main Street to S.R. 92, including a frontage road system from 2100 North to S.R. 92 and a new bridge over I-15 at 2300 West.

“The frontage road system helps distribute traffic rather than forcing all vehicles through the 92 interchange,” Craig said. “We will have a series of off- and on-ramps that will help get people where they are going more efficiently.”

Traffic on I-15 is also reduced because local trips in the area are made on the frontage road system without getting on I-15.

Provo Orem TRIP

Similarly, the Provo Orem Transportation Improvement Project has defined an acronym to make the project name more memorable. The multi-modal, multi-agency project will go by the name Provo Orem TRIP.

“Lots of people called it the BRT project,” said UDOT project manager John Higgins. “But the project includes roadway, pedestrian

and bicycle improvements; so putting attention solely on BRT wasn’t accurate. Plus, we wanted to represent the partnership between UDOT, Provo and Orem cities, Utah County and UTA.”

The overarching name “Provo Orem Transportation Improvement Project” was developed in 2014 to be more inclusive of the multi-modal project, and the combined communications team helped identify the TRIP acronym.

“The Provo Orem TRIP name is going to help us out during construction,” said Region Three Communications Manager Eileen Barron. “It’s easier to remember and will fit well with communication campaigns about how to navigate University Parkway and University Avenue while the project is under construction.”

The Technology Corridor includes frontage roads from 2100 North to S.R. 92, a new bridge at 2300 West and replacement of 13 bridges, including full interchange reconstruction at 2100 North and S.R. 92.

Page 9 UDOT Region Three • 2015 RECAP

Next phase of Mountain View Corridor is Coming to Utah County$25 million has been designated to build the next phase of the Mountain View Corridor in Utah County, a road connecting S.R. 73 and 2100 North.

The road will be a future one-way frontage road, but the available funds will build the connection now with one lane in each direction, full shoulders and an adjacent sidewalk/trail. The budget will also be used to purchase right of way. The MVC management team will oversee the project with input from Region Three. The project will be constructed in 2017.

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800 West

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CROSS-SECTION VIEW – TWO-WAY ROAD (LOOKING NORTH)

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Page 10

Annual Image Survey Results

FavorabilityDo you have a favorable or unfavorableimpression of the Utah Department of Transportation, or UDOT, the department that is responsible for Utah’s highways and interstates?

0%

20%

40%

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

78% 82% 81% 79%84%

4.81 4.78 4.92 4.78 5.00

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7

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Mean Scores

To make good decisions about transportation

Trustworthy

The high level of favorability toward UDOT might correlate to the high marks UDOT received in the survey on the topic of trustworthiness. Survey participants were asked to rate UDOT’s trustworthiness to make good decisions, including good use of taxpayer money, on a scale of 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). The survey average score of 5 is a very high mark. Scores above 4 are considered a positive result.

Rural Highways

4.74 4.62 4.73 4.79 5.11

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5

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7

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Mean Scores

State Roads

4.99 5.03 4.97 5.12 5.25

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7

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Mean Scores

Survey participants were asked to rate the surface condition of state roads on a scale of 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). The average score above 5 indicates that people perceive our roads as being in very good condition.

Survey participants were asked to rate the surface condition of rural highways on a scale of 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). This area also received an average score above 5, demonstrating a strong positive perception of rural highways in Utah.

UDOT Achieves High Favorability Marks in Annual Public Opinion Survey

UDOT conducts an annual statewide telephone survey to measure public perception of the agency. The 2015 survey revealed one of UDOT’s highest approval ratings from the public.

This high approval rating and level of trust is an indication of our employees’ great work – this includes our maintenance crews, construction crews, administrative staff and technical staff. Thanks for your hard work and the many ways you make a difference in your communities!