Many Accomplishments Made, Bold Action Needed

Much has been accomplished, but a bold solution is needed for transportation funding for Missouri.

Director Kevin Keith highlighted several major accomplishments to the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight today, but emphasized that we're only spending about half of what we should on needed transportation projects, due to lack of funding.

While receiving awards for the innovative Diverging Diamond Interchange in Springfield and with traffic fatalities at their lowest since 1949, there is much to be proud of. Projects also continue to be completed on time and under budget -- by more than 15 percent. And despite the limited projects we're able to do, 86 percent of roads are in condition.

Unfortunately, our successes are limited by funding concerns. We're spending about half of what we should on transportation infrastructure. This means less projects, less improvements, and fewer jobs.

Our goals moving forward are simple: We'll do our best with the resources we have. We'll keep the system in as good of a condition as we can for as long as we can. We'll work to keep travelers and employees safe and continue to provide excellent customer service.

Celebrate - Then Get Back to Work!

It's always fun to share success with friends.

MoDOT Motor Carrier Services got to do that at a recent ceremony, when our division and the MoDOT Springfield Area District received Governor's Awards for Quality and Productivity.

Motor Carrier Services earned honors in customer services. Our group handles the licensing of Missouri-based motor carriers. We also collect fees, taxes and enforce safety laws. Here's the big news: the people we license, tax and hold to the law are happy to work with us! In fact, 95.7 percent of them report they are satisfied - or very satisfied - with our service. A government agency. Wow.

We, in turn, are awed by our co-workers in southwest Missouri. The Springfield Area District earned the first-ever GAQP Pinnacle Award for constructing the first Diverging Diamond Interchange in the Western Hemisphere. The radical, lower-cost design dramatically improved safety and traffic flow in a heavily-congested area. They even completed the entire project in just six months. People found it easy to keep tabs on the project and quickly learned to use the "wrong" side of the road to get through the area quickly and safely. (I used to live nearby and am floored every time I drive through the area!)

It's very telling that even at the celebration, the two groups talked shop, discussing what new improvements could be made to the driving and freight-moving experience. It made me proud to be MoDOT.