A Winning Team

MoDOT has recently been awarded some top honors. This week it was announced that the Interstate 64 reconstruction project in St. Louis has been selected as the 2010 America's Transportation Awards Grand Prize Winner by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It competed as one of forty-three projects.

In addition, the new diverging diamond interchange in Springfield, Mo., won the Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation. The award goes to a project that brings value to the public. In this case, the interchange allows traffic to move faster, reduces congestion, increases safety and saves money.

Also, Interim Director Kevin Keith received the President's Transportation Award for Administration. He was recognized for exemplary service and impacting transportation by implementing Practical Design, a cost-saving strategy that has now become our standard way of doing business.

This recognition shows we're working hard to provide quality transportation and use resources wisely. Congratulations to all of those who worked with these projects and were a part of bringing about practical, innovative solutions to achieve tremendous results.

I-64 St. Louis Project Getting National Attention

The I-64 St. Louis Project is now a grand prize finalist for the 2010 America’s Transportation Awards competition. Vote today!

Maybe the best two things a DOT can announce to the public for a completed project is: On time and under budget. These two goals are vital because it means money isn’t getting wasted and the impact to drivers was decreased from initial plans. When the I-64 St. Louis project finished on time and under budget back in December of 2009, it pleased many Missouri drivers, but now it has also impressed national transportation experts.

The I-64 St. Louis Project is now a grand prize finalist for the 2010 America’s Transportation Awards competition. Earlier this year transportation experts from across the country judged more than 40 entries from 29 states in the categories of on-time, under budget, innovative management and best recovery act project. The I-64 St. Louis project won first place in the Midwest region in the under budget category. Winners from each region and category were then narrowed down to an overall top 10 and the I-64 St. Louis project made the list! www.americastransportationaward.org

It’s easy to see why national transportation experts loved the I-64 St. Louis project. It was the largest highway improvement in Missouri history, yet reopened one month early and $11 million under budget. All project goals were met or exceeded despite limited funds, limited space and the need to limit the impact of construction. The project closed portions of I-64 for two years, but survey results show 95 percent of Missourians were satisfied with how the work was handled. www.thenewi64.org

As a top ten finalist the I-64 St. Louis project is now in the running for the grand prize and the people’s choice award. The grand prize will be chosen by a team of national transportation experts and the people’s choice award will determined through online voting. Online voting starts today and continues through October 18, 2010… so we encourage you to vote! It would be amazing if the I-64 St. Louis project won both awards and we would love your help! You can vote by visiting www.modot.org and clicking on the America’s Transportation Awards banner found on the top of MoDOT’s homepage. The winners of both awards will be announced October 31, 2010 and will receive $10,000 to go towards a charity or scholarship.

Go vote!

Top Ten for 2009

Making lists is popular this time of year, whether it’s for holiday shopping, a year-in-review list or the things you’re pledging to do (or not do) in the new year.

Topping MoDOT's accomplishment list this year is a drop in highway fatalities for the fourth year in a row. The completion of I-64 and first-in-the-nation status aren't too shabby, either. Watch below to see MoDOT's "Top Ten" for 2009, and send your comments on what you'd like to see in 2010.

Fun on the Highway!

Missourians had a chance to walk, run, jump and even play cards on the New I-64 in St. Louis on Dec. 6. The video below gives you some reactions from residents and a look at the offical ribbon cutting.