Earth Day: Little Changes Can Mean Big Results

Today MoDOT volunteers educated thousands of kids, students, teachers and parents who are at the Capitol in Jefferson City to learn about protecting the environment. The Department of Natural Resources hosted the 17th annual Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Missouri State Capitol south lawn.

"Little Changes, Big Results” was the winning slogan in DNR’s 2011 Earth Day slogan contest. Adeline Forester, a fifth-grade student in Michelle Kemker’s class at the Cole R5 Eugene Elementary School, submitted the winning slogan.

Sometimes it is the little things we each can do that can help make a difference in the overall big scheme of things. I know my family now recycles every little bit of plastic, paper, tin and aluminum. Here at MoDOT, we have won awards for doing that and much, much more. But, that’s the point – we can each do our part both at home and at work.

This event is just one small thing we do at MoDOT to help get the message out. Besides reminding everyone about the importance of picking up trash, volunteers are asking visitors for a promise to not throw trash out in the first place by signing the Litter Pledge.

In addition, visitors to the MoDOT tent have the opportunity to learn more about the Adopt-A-Highway and No MOre Trash! programs. MoDOT staff also handed out more than 3,000 of these trees to Earth Day participants.

The nation's very first Earth Day was held in 1970 and led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The official date of the national Earth Day celebration is Friday, April 22.

Trash Bucket

There are still a couple of days left in Missouri's No MOre Trash! Bash, and still plenty of nice weather for you to organize a group to help clean up Missouri.

A new innovation was recently created by a MoDOT employee that makes picking up trash easier and safer. The Trash Bucket was one of five state winners in MoDOT's statewide annual Innovations Challenge, and it will help our state on its way to becoming litter-free.

MoDOT Maintenance Crew Leader Tommie Chitwood used scrap material on hand by cutting the top off a bucket and using the tension ring from the lid to create a bag holder - the holder keeps the bag open and ready for trash. The handle also provides a good grip to hold the bag steady. Volunteers and workers can keep their eyes on the road rather than turning attention away to open a trash bag.

No matter what you use to pick up trash, learn more about keeping Missouri litter-free and consider getting involved today!

Adopt-A-Highway
Sponsor-A-Highway
No MOre Trash!

Getting There -- Is It Worth Your Life?

Usually twice a week, my family and I cross the Union Pacific Railroad track on Highway 179 in Jefferson City on our way to and from church. Each time we hope we don’t get stopped by a train, but occasionally the lights flash, the bells sound and the gates go down to warn us that either the Missouri River Runner or a freight train is coming through. Sure it may be a little inconvenient and it may make us a few minutes late, but getting there – is it worth your life? No!

I have placed a solemn reminder to be cautious at highway-rail crossings on the bulletin board at our church. It’s a news clipping of a car smashed by a train at a nearby crossing. The driver did not survive. On Tuesday, I was delivering the same type of message, just much more directly. Volunteers from MoDOT, the Highway Patrol, Missouri Operation Lifesaver and I met at the Route 179 highway-rail crossing to conduct a Positive Enforcement Program - a key component of this year's Rail Safety Week on April 25-29. We stopped several motorists on both sides of the track to share some important rail safety tips. I hope you will also think about them every time you encounter a train or railroad tracks:

• Always expect a train.
• Never drive around gates when they are lowered.
• Never walk or play on railroad tracks, it’s dangerous and illegal.
• A train always has the right of way.
• Trains can’t stop quickly, so never try to beat one.
• Look, listen and Live!

MoDOT Traveler Information Map Offers Flood Information

Most people know about MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map. They turn to it for snow information and work zone locations. But it also offers flooding information, too. Information that could save your life.

Go directly to the map at this address http://maps.modot.mo.gov/timi/

At the time of this blog post, there’s more than 430 flood closures in southern Missouri. The bottom of the map is red with flood icons. If you live and work in any of these areas, please check the map before you travel.

The map is updated continually and is easy to use. You can pan in and out for a broad perspective of statewide road conditions or double click an icon or area to zoom in for a closer view. Hold the mouse over an icon for more details on the route, date, time and condition.

To unstack icons double-click on a region of the map and you’ll zoom in. For a text-only version that gives information by county and route, click on the flooding icon in the legend on the left side of the page.

Train Your Brain

Using safety precautions on and around trains and railroad tracks should be a no-brainer. Yet, collisions at highway-rail crossings in Missouri increased and 17 people were killed at crossings or on tracks in 2010. To elevate the public’s awareness about rail safety, MoDOT is sponsoring a Train Your Brain contest during Rail Safety Week in Missouri on April 25-29.

Take the Train Your Brain quiz, and be automatically entered to win one of several great prizes donated by Missouri Operation Lifesaver, Union Pacific and Amtrak.

Winners will be announced daily on Missouri River Runner’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/missouririverrunnerand MoDOT’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MoDOTStatewide.

Chorus Calling

Happy Earth Day! In honor of all things green, we're sharing a story from our Northeast District and how they created a habitat to help out the chorus frogs.

Last year, some chorus frogs were attempting to live and reproduce in some shallow swales on the north side of the Northeast District office. The frogs were having a tough time -- since the swales didn't hold water for long, any eggs that were laid were quickly dying as the swales dried.

Last fall, roadside operations staff constructed two small, shallow wetlands in place of the swales. They're designed to hold water into mid- or late summer before drying out. This will allow the frogs to successfully reproduce while preventing predatory aquatic insects from reaching high levels. The frogs have found the wetlands and have been calling loudly during the recent warm weather.

An added benefit? Tracks of deer, opossum, raccoon, turkey and other birds have been noticed around the wetlands, indicating other wildlife are finding them useful.

The chorus frogs will stay in the wetlands for a month or so and then spend the rest of the year in the grass, wildflowers and woods surrounding the wetlands.  

Information contributed by Chris Shulse, Roadside Manager for MoDOT's Northeast District.

Why It's Personal

We've been talking lately about why transportation is personal. It's certainly something we use each day - but how much thought have you given to how it would, in fact, personally affect YOUR life? What would be different, and how would your routine change if your connections to work, home and activities just weren't what you needed?

MoDOT employee, Tina Thurman, shares today how transportation is indeed personal to her and affects her family:

“My son Garrett will start kindergarten this fall. As a preschooler, he was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes (Type I). Because his body does not produce any insulin, we have to monitor his blood sugar and inject the hormone several times a day.

There is no such thing as homemade insulin. I can't make testing supplies or needles. I rely on shipments from far away factories that travel by train and highway to reach my mailbox. And it's not just that the packages arrive, they have to arrive when I need them.

If shipping channels are interrupted, it causes a delay in delivery. I can deal with shortages of gas, bread and milk. Insulin is another story. My brown-eyed live-wire can't live without a safe, reliable transportation system.

For our family, transportation is more than personal. It's a matter of life and death.”

How is transportation personal to you? Please share your story here on the blog, or on our facebook page, and tell us what would change for you if your connections were in jeopardy. For more information on how transportation is personal in Missouri, visit www.modot.org/itspersonal.

My Last Text

Take a look at your last three texts. Were any of them worth dying for?

Mine were:

• Yes sounds good.
• Just left to go to Home Depot and Lowe's.
• My Contacts Backup last saved your contacts 75 days ago.

Nothing too earth shattering there. I certainly wouldn't want any of those messages to be the last thing I read on this earth.

But if you're texting being the wheel, that message could be the last thing you read.

Texting makes a driver 23 times more likely to crash because it takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds.

In 2010, there were 21 fatal, 69 disabling injury, 477 minor injury and 1158 PDO crashes involving an inattentive driver using a cell phone. Twenty-two people were killed, 85 seriously injured and 679 received minor injuries in these crashes.

Next time you hear the buzz of a text message while behind the wheel, ask yourself if it's worth your life.

A mother and Highway Patrolman tell the story of how a text message cut one young woman's life short.

Pain at the Pump

Yow!! Gas prices keep rising and rising - and MoDOT doesn't like it any more than you! Unlike many state DOT's in America, MoDOT doesn't benefit when gas prices rise at the pump because we get a fixed rate per gallon. Missouri's state fuel tax is 17 cents per gallon (for gas and diesel) no matter if gas is 1 dollar or 50 dollars a gallon. In fact, Missouri fuel taxes haven't increased since 1996. The fact that Missouri ranks low for fuel taxes is why gas prices in the show-me state are also some of the lowest in the country.

Let's break it down: MoDOT receives 12.45 cents of the 17 cents per gallon of gas purchased (local governments receive the remaining 4.55 cents per gallon) and MoDOT receives approximately $500 million a year from the state fuel tax. The federal fuel tax rates are 18.4 cents on gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel. The price Missourians pay at the pump comes from four different costs: 65 percent crude oil, 15 percent refining, 10 percent distribution and marketing, and 10 percent federal and state taxes.

Higher gas prices hurt MoDOT because as prices rise, people buy less, which can decrease our funds. Missouri ranks 42nd for fuel taxes, yet we maintain the 7th largest highway system in America.

MoDOT's Chief Engineer Dave Nichols explains more about pain at the pump and how it affects Missouri in last week's To The Point podcast.

New Bicycle and Pedestrian Attachment

On a bridge that carries nearly 50,000 vehicles each day, a few more pedals and feet will now be added to the mix.

On April 8, a bicycle and pedestrian attachment to the Missouri River Bridge opened in Jefferson City, spanning the Missouri River and connecting bicyclists and pedestrians with the popular Katy Trail.

Work on the project began in mid-May 2010. It was funded by MoDOT, the City of Jefferson, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Missouri State Parks Foundation.


Watch the ribbon-cutting below to catch some great shots of those already enjoying the bridge attachment.

New and Improved Gateway Guide

Same address, new look and features.

MoDOT's Gateway Guide has undergone a major rehab this spring.

The new website:

• shows nearly 300 live-camera views updating every two seconds
• displays real-time information on incidents and work zones with lane closures
• provides personalized My STL Traffic alerts for lane closures on the highways you use and the times you need it each day. These alerts can be sent to you by text or e-mail.
• includes a mobile-friendly version for your smart phone and other cellular devices
• shows real-time @STL_Traffic Twitter alerts

Check out the new website, take our survey and tell us what you think. The new, updated Gateway Guide gives you better information so you can travel smarter.

Sleeping in the Office

I work in an office. Once in a while, at the end of the work day, I’m so wrapped up in what I’m doing I completely go past my scheduled quit time. It’s not popular at my house, but a quick explanation to my husband, Sweetie Pie, and a biscuit for Chester, my 95-lb. puppy and all is well.

It’s not that way for commercial vehicle drivers. Depending on the circumstances, their work day must end sometime within the 10 or 11 hours since they started work. Have 10 and a half hours on the clock and you’re just 45 minutes from your favorite restaurant? Sorry. Maybe you can stop there for breakfast. For commercial drivers, quittin’ time is federally regulated.

It’s that way because fatigued drivers make more mistakes than those who are well-rested. Seriously, who wants to share a highway with any driver, even one in a sedan, who has been on the road for 12 hours or more? So all of those long-haul truck drivers you see every day have to find a place to pull over, climb into the sleeper and get some shut-eye – in fact, they sleep in their office.

You’re a driver who made it to Missouri? Good. You’re in luck. In addition to traditional rest spots like rest areas (which all welcome trucks) and truck plazas, we’ve got truck-only parking areas. Most began their roadside existence as weigh stations, though several were rest areas in a former life. When they no longer served their original purpose well, MoDOT converted them to serve as safe, convenient, though basic spots where drivers can wrap up their day and get some rest. We’re one state where drivers don’t have to go as far to find a nice place to stop.

Check it out for yourself at www.modot.org/services/travel/restarea. All of Missouri’s rest areas, welcome centers and truck-only parking areas are plotted on a map of the state. The more convenient, safe and plentiful we make truck parking, the more efficient drivers can be, the cheaper the transportation and consumer costs for things like the gallon of milk I need to buy on the way home…and the dog biscuits. I cannot forget the dog biscuits!

New Car Seat Recommendations

When it comes to our children, their safety is paramount. We do everything in our power to keep them safe. One easy way is to buckle them in a car seat.

The recently released guidelines from American Academy of Pediatrics recommend keeping your toddler rear-facing until age two. Children under age two are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are rear-facing. The new guidelines also say:

Use front-facing seat with five-point harness straps as long as possible. Many go up to 65 or even 80 lbs. Make sure kids stay in booster seats until they reach 4 foot 9 inches. The typical eight-year-old doesn't reach this height.

But the fact of the matter remains that if you don't have your car seat installed correctly or don't have your child buckled into it, the best car seat in the world isn't going to protect your child. A car seat, even if it's covered in polka-dots, is a serious piece of safety equipment. And it takes some serious know-how to install it correctly.

These are just a few of the things that can go wrong with installation: routing seat belts incorrectly, not putting seat belts in lock mode, using both the lower anchors of the LATCH system and the seat belt, connecting the lower anchors and tethers of the LATCH system to the wrong points in the car, forgetting to use the tether at all, and not putting enough weight on the seat as it is being installed

Rather than fret about whether your baby is really safe in their sophisticated, expensive, top-of-the-line car seat, why not just get it checked out by an expert?

Missouri has more than 200 safety inspection stations. Certified technicians can inspect your child safety seat and show you how to correctly install and use it.
Even if they only tweak your installation a little - the average installation has three errors - you can walk away with valuable piece of mind. If they do a complete overhaul on your install job, you will be grateful they did.

Find a list of inspection stations and the one closest to you here.

Next time you look back and see that adorable, sleeping baby, you'll feel much better knowing that he/she is safe.

Work Zone Safety - A Testimony

As work zone awareness week comes to a close, David Bower, a MoDOT employee in the Kansas City district, shares his story of why work zone safety is personal. While National Work Zone Awareness Week ends today, we'll be working throughout the construction season to raise awareness of safe driving through work zones. Look for more information at www.modot.org/workzones.

Traumatic events typically get lodged into the memories of individuals. Looking back to the events of an otherwise normal weekday in August 1996, they remain ever-present today.

The passage of this day was typical, nothing extra ordinary until late in the day when the stadium maintenance crew began taking down their work zone. For those who are unaware, work zone setup and take-down is often the most critical and highest-risk part of an operation. This is something I experienced firsthand having worked as a maintenance worker in overhead signing. There is an initial unfamiliarity of lane transitions for drivers, not to mention the congestion that occurs when drivers adjust to these changes.

Today was different though. With a promotion to an office position in Maintenance Operations, the responsibilities of two-way radio dispatch came with it. A new job classification meant there was very little to do except to communicate to others.  

The call came over the radio, “We’ve been hit! We’ve been hit!”

From the district office my response was “MoDOT4, go ahead.”

The caller responded, “They’ve hit the light trailer, we have men down!”

The urgency of the voice was present --it had to be bad and we needed to get more details.

My response was, “I need you to take a deep breath and answer my questions."

Meanwhile, several other employees entered the radio work area, ready to offer their support, assisting wherever needed. Turning to another employee, I asked them to get a 911 dispatcher on the phone. The finite details: route, cross street, direction of travel, number of injured employees, whatever we could relay to emergency services was given. The events seemed lengthy at that time; however in reality, were only a few short minutes.

In that time the smoothness of coordination was exceptional. Field operations were communicating with the district office and we were relaying to emergency services. Operations management and staff automatically mobilized and took to the field. We had part of our MoDOT family in need and everyone was answering the request for assistance.

In a nutshell, this is what had happened. While MoDOT employees were taking down the work zone, a motorist had collided with the arrow-board-style light trailer, which Raymond McKelvy and Jorge Bermudez were connecting to the back of their truck.

It wasn’t until everything was finished that the accident really hit home. You see, when I hired in, I worked on the stadium campus and knew Raymond and Jorge personally. These were friends, coworkers, employees with families.

We know smaller traumatic events don’t always garner media attention.  They don’t burn into the minds of the masses. Perhaps they should, perhaps the reality of potential fatal situations in highway work zones should be a call to our driving public, to slow down and draw cautionary attention. The reality is … it seldom does.

I remember where I was during the first and second space shuttle catastrophes.  I remember where I was when the twin towers fell. I will remember the details of that day in August 1996.

Work Zone Safety is Personal

As part of work zone awareness week, we asked employees why work zones are personal to them and to motorists. 

Why is work zone safety important to Cory March, maintenance crew leader in Lancaster? 

"Everyone needs to take into consideration the importance of work zone safety. We all have families to go home to at night or would like to see again. 

Learn, practice and get to know work zone safety. Our lives depend on it."

Even Barrel Bob couldn't say it better. Don't barrel through work zones!

Work Zone Survey Brings Public Into the Solution

You are MoDOT’s customers. You are the ones who fund our roads and bridges. You are the ones who drive through our work zones every day. You are the people we serve.

And we need your feedback.

Work zones are a fact of life. Whether we’re building a new bridge or filling a new pot hole, MoDOT is going to be on the road improving and maintaining Missouri’s infrastructure throughout the summer. And we want to make the experience as smooth and safe as possible.

Yes, there will be delays. Yes, some drivers will be irritated with them. But we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to minimize both those realities.

That’s where you come in. On the homepage of our website at www.modot.org, you’ll see a button at the bottom of the page that takes you to our Work Zone Survey. (You can also go directly to the survey at http://www.modot.mo.gov/workzones/Comments.htm)

There, you can fill a short survey about your experience driving though MoDOT work zones that we will use to monitor and improve them.

MoDOT reviews all the surveys we receive. We take them very seriously. There is even an option for us to contact you if you want us to.

You can help us improve our work zones by participating in the process. We know if a work zone meets your expectations, we’re doing something right. If it doesn’t, we may need to try something else.

One more thing: Don’t fill out the form on your cell phone while you’re driving! Wait until you’re home or parked safely somewhere. Duh.

THIS is why you need to slow down.

Still thinking work zones are just something to barrel through quickly? THIS is why you need to slow down and pay attention when you see those cones, even if you miss seeing the workers behind them.

Barrel Bob Pleads Safety in Work Zones

Hey there! I’m Barrel Bob - I’m 11 feet tall, 8 feet wide, bright orange and hard to miss – and that’s good cause I’m going to be watching for you in Missouri work zones this summer.

Why is work zone safety personal to me? Those are my co-workers out there and I want to them get home safe and sound every night. And those motorists driving through work zones are our friends and family, and we want them to get where they are going quickly and safely.

I think I am pretty easy to spot when I’m in a work zone. I’d think with all the orange signs and orange lights, my co-workers dressed in those fashionable neon green shirts and matching hard hats would be too. …but every year, someone gets hurt…my comrades and hundreds of people just like you.

And why do they get hurt? Well, some of you I hate to say have lead feet, I guess, and go a little fast. Others of you like to follow just a bit too close to the car in front of you. The rest of you are just too busy groovin’ to your tunes, texting your BFF, or updating your status to all your 500 friends. Whatever the reason, I don’t want anybody to get hurt out here so keep your speed down and don’t try crawlin’ up anyone’s tailpipe. After all, the folks in these work zones are improving YOUR roads for YOUR safety.

And we’ll be all over the state this year with road and bridge construction. More than 300 bridges are scheduled for construction this year under MoDOT’s Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program. Statewide, work continues on a number of economic stimulus projects, as well as keeping 5,600 miles of minor roads in good condition through the Better Roads, Brighter Future program.

So stay alert, slow down and Don’t Barrel Through Work Zones. Find me on Facebook or learn more about work zone safety at www.modot.org.

All That Trash

“Wow, look at all that trash!” These words did not escape from the lips of a city leader, an Adopt-A-Highway volunteer, or an environmentalist. They were exclaimed from the back seat by my 7-year-old son a couple of weeks ago on a trip down Route B, just south of Jefferson City.
For him to notice the trash… well, it truly was an eyesore. This kid’s idea of a clean room is one where dirty dishes, dirty socks and random legos and “art” projects are merely great things to jump over on your way from the bed to the door.
His 10-year-old brother (also not a clean freak) added that he thought all that trash “was probably thrown out by drunks”. Surely, your average SOBER person wouldn’t throw trash out their car window!
So, what can we do about all that trash? The answer is so simple that 7 and 10 year olds can comprehend it and even help out!
The entire month of April is No MOre Trash! Bash! The perfect time to get out there and clean up. Get together with your kids, your friends, your family or if you prefer, in peaceful solitude, and pick up some litter and put it in its place.
If you report your litter picking activity, at www.nomoretrash.org, we will send you a cool little trash can pin. And you will feel better doing something where you can see your progress.
If you want, you can even take the litter pledge – We should try this at HOME!
I promise to do my part to make and keep Missouri litter free. I promise to keep my house, my yard and my town clean and free of trash. I will throw my trash away and pick up trash when I see it. I will tell my family and friends about No MOre Trash!

Have You Seen This Barrel?

As more work zones pop up in Missouri, be on the lookout for Barrel Bob. Bob is MoDOT's latest work zone spokesbarrel, and has quite a travel schedule coming up. He'll be visiting work zones across the state, warning drivers to slow down in work zones and bringing attention to the importance of work zone safety. You'll see alot more of Bob in the coming weeks, especially with Work Zone Awareness Week beginning next Monday.

At eleven feet tall, he shouldn't go unnoticed. But if you want to follow his wherabouts, catch the inside scoop on his facebook page. 

You'll likely hear him on the radio, too. 

Take Action

This is a guest post by MoDOT Director Kevin Keith about the personal side of transportation.

It's personal.

Transportation is personal to every Missourian every day. It affects our safety, our jobs, our businesses and our ability to see our families, go to the doctor or buy groceries. Transportation touches everyone.

The transportation lifeline we enjoy is in jeopardy.

Funding for transportation in Missouri has been cut in half. Our budget for building and taking care of state highways has dropped from 1.2 billion to 600 million. That is the best-case scenario. It could get a lot worse.

MoDOT has tightened its belt and is continuing to do so. We have squeezed every penny out of every dollar we receive. Now is the time for Missourians to take action and make a decision about investing in transportation.

I need your help.

With your help we can make the point to employees, friends, family, neighbors, elected officials and the news media that transportation is personal and we must invest in it at a greater level. Please get involved.

We will be communicating the "It's Personal" message statewide in the coming months. If you would like a MoDOT representative in your area to speak, please let us know. To schedule a speaking engagement, call 1-888-ASK MoDOT (275-6636) or fill out an online request form at www.modot.mo.gov/asp/requestExpert.htm.

I encourage you to take action. Help me spread this important message. You can learn more at www.modot.org/itspersonal.

Get "To the Point" with MoDOT Director Kevin Keith

Want to hear about MoDOT’s plans straight from the director? No problem. Just subscribe and listen as MoDOT Director Kevin Keith gets “To the Point” with Community Relations Coordinator Jorma Duran in a brief, weekly interview on what’s happening at your department of transportation.

“To the Point” is a collection of Q&A interviews that cover the hot topics affecting MoDOT, from the new five-year direction to maintenance, construction projects and financing. The podcasts are available at www.modot.org/modotpodcast or on iTunes. An extensive archive of all the previous recordings is also available so you can pick and chose the subjects that interest you most. To get started, look for the “MoDOT Podcast” button in the right hand navigation of the MoDOT homepage at www.modot.org or click on the podcast icon at the top of the page.

Listening to these podcasts is perhaps the easiest way to keep up with MoDOT events. I mean, all you have to do is click the play button. You can listen to the podcasts at home, at work, in your car or online. Whatever time works best for you.

MoDOT wants you to be a part of Missouri’s transportation solutions. There’s no easier way to do that than to sit back and get the scoop straight from the source.

Shipping Begins!

When my family goes floating, it seems like we're packing lots of supplies. Between the sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and plenty of snacks to keep the kids happy, I sometimes feel like we're our own little barge as we paddle down the river.

But to look at the quantities of what is moved during the Missouri River's shipping season shows how they certainly have my family beat.

This week, Jefferson City's River Terminal expects to receive 6,000 tons of cement. AGRIServices of Brunswick will start pushing more than 9,000 tons of fertilizer up the Missouri River, and Hermann Sand and Gravel plans to start moving freight late this week.

So begins the unofficial start of the 2011 shipping season!

While the official start is April 1, Kevin Holcer of AgriServices is confident about starting early.

"The water levels are good enough to get our shipping season started early, and we expect to be busy though mid-December," Holcer said. "Last year's success brought us good momentum, and we don't want to slow down."

Last year, about 334,000 tons of goods were shipped on the Missouri River, a 24 percent increase from the year before. Shipping this way can save money, is more friendly to the environment and relieves stress on highways. One barge equals the same amount of cargo that fits into 70 semi-trucks or 16 rail cars.

I wonder how many canoe's worth of goldfish crackers and juice boxes it holds.

Are You a Regular?

Are you a regular visitor to MoDOT’s web site? Do you keep up with the latest transportation news and events? Are you a contractor checking on recent changes and postings? Do you want to keep up with commodities bidding opportunities?

Now there’s a way to keep in touch with updates to MoDOT’s site without even getting on the Internet.

A new web page subscription service allows you to subscribe to hundreds of individual pages on MoDOT’s web site and receive notifications when changes are made.

Want to get started? Look for the red envelope at the right-hand corner of the page where you want to subscribe. Whenever a change is made to that page, you’ll receive a notice letting you know.

You can choose to receive these notifications by email or as a text message on your mobile device. An active link is included in the message so all you have to do is click it and go straight to the page.

The service is invaluable for keeping up with news pages, road condition updates, commodities bidding, project info and a lot more.

Keep your finger on the pulse of Missouri transportation. Subscribe today!

Leprechaun Dash

If you're celebrating with a green beverage this St. Patty's Day, make sure you have a sober driver. Otherwise, be prepared to part with your gold!

Try your luck at this driving game and see how your driving rates when buzzed.

MoDOT Gets Personal with Transportation

Transportation is not just about cars, trucks, roads and bridges. It’s about communities, neighborhoods and families. It’s about you.

In fact, you might say, it’s personal.

If you flick a light switch, you expect the light to come on. When it doesn’t, there’s a problem. When you drive down a highway, you expect it to be safe and in good repair. When it’s not…

I can tell you that MoDOT’s budget has been cut in half. I can tell you what that means to Missouri roads and bridges. But the light switch probably won’t come on until you’re driving down a state route and hit a pot hole. It probably won’t come on until local businesses start to leave Missouri and take their jobs to a state with better infrastructure.

That’s when the transportation funding problem walks into your living room. That’s when it becomes personal.

MoDOT is sharing this message with a new web site that helps people understand how personal transportation can be. Go to www.modot.org/itspersonal and watch the videos. Listen to individuals whose lives have been affected by transportation. Their stories are about jobs, convenience and safety. Some are heart breaking.

These people are your neighbors, your friends, your family. They are you.

As our highways and bridges deteriorate, as traffic backs up and businesses move to smoother roads, remember that you’re the one who can change things.

Transportation funding is not some vague problem that will fix itself in time. It’s the road in front of your house, the connections between your cities, the rivers and rails that carry food to your table. Transportation is not someone else’s problem.

It’s personal.

Wearing Seat Belts Pays Off

In addition to potentially saving their life, getting caught wearing a seat belt on Friday, March 11 had a second payoff for some lucky Missouri high school students.

More than 200 students received a $25 gift card for being spotted buckling up and displaying a Buckle Up & Win window cling. More than 175,000 window clings were distributed at Missouri high schools in preparation for Seat Belt Spotter Day on March 11. Students were asked to put them on their cars and buckle up. It was that easy to win.

Seat Belt Spotter Day was part of the youth seat belt campaign that kicked off this month. The campaign pairs education and enforcement to get more teens to buckle up. Teen seat belt use in Missouri is only 66 percent, much lower than state (76 percent) and national (85 percent) seat belt use.

Law enforcement will be out in full force the remainder of the month looking for teens who aren’t buckled up. They won’t be handing out $25 gift cards – they’ll be handing out tickets.

Buckle up!

Missouri Miles

In this month's Missouri Miles, we take a look back at the historic snow storm that hit the state Feb. 1, when snow plow trucks logged 1.1 million miles. We also explain that flashing yellow light you may have seen popping up at Missouri intersections. Then, hop inside the cab of a Missouri truck driver as we continue our truckers on the street series. Don't miss these stories and much more on Missouri Miles!

Connections

I've heard that more and more people now sleep with their cell phones. Is that true? If so, it seems that cell phones are becoming more of a connection for people -- it's not just their phone, it's their e-mail, web access, camera and much more.

Connections are a lifeline. They keep us tied in with the things most important to us -- friends, family, work and play. But to maintain those connections, you need more than just your phone - you need to be able to get around.

And that's where transportation comes in. It's easy to overlook -- after all, it seems like it's pretty much always there. But what if it wasn't? Or what if it wasn't as safe?

The Missourians in this video understand the connection that transportation provides. Watch below to see how transportation affects us all personally, no matter what kind of phone you use.

Calling All Shoppers

Retail stores are gearing up for their spring sales. More and more homes are starting to put the 'for sale' sign in their yard. And many people are also gearing up for garage sales as the weather gets warmer.  All of these are sure signs of spring!

MoDOT is getting the spring sale bug as well. Mark your calendars for the spring property sale March 28 - April 1. Thirty-nine parcels ranging in size from one-tenth of an acre to 199 acres will be available for purchase by either auction or sealed bid.

Why the sale?

"While we no longer need this land, the parcels we're selling are valuable, and we're trying to find that right buyer," said Gregory Wood, Realty to Roads Project Director in MoDOT's Right of Way Division.

In addition to brining in money for highway projects, Wood said selling excess right of way saves maintenance costs, reduces liability and puts the property  back on the tax rolls to the advantage of local communities.

Check out the Realty to Roads website or facebook page for more information, and happy shopping!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to the Adopt-A-Highway program! It began in Texas on March 9, 1985, and Missouri's program began in 1987. Now, more than 5,800 miles of Missouri roads have been adopted, making our state cleaner and greener.

And, it's saving you money! Adopters perform about $1 million a year in litter cleanup and beautification efforts. Every area kept free of litter by adopters allows MoDOT to devote resources to other much-needed tasks.


The celebration really begins in April, when MoDOT parters with the Missouri Department of Conservation in the annual No MOre Trash! Bash. Here, adopters and citizens organize litter pick-up events and help to promote awareness about keeping our state clean. Don't miss being a part of this year's bash!

Check out this video for a fun take on keeping Missouri clean:

Never Say Never

I can remember when I first got my driver’s license and I used to get so annoyed with my mother when she’d say, “Drive carefully!” Like I wasn’t going to? Besides I knew that I was a good driver and I would never get in a wreck…until I did. Luckily for me, I was buckled that night. Unfortunately, other Missouri teens aren’t so lucky and seven out of 10 teens killed in Missouri traffic crashes are unbuckled.

That’s why the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is launching a new campaign, called “Never Say Never,” aimed at youth to get them to buckle up. Just like everything in life, anything can happen. Teens are getting in their cars to head to school, sporting events, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs and other events that fill their social calendars. Unfortunately, teens have the highest crash risk and lowest seat belt use of any age group.

That combination is deadly, yet far too many teens still think they are invincible. Because of this feeling of invincibility, teen seat belt use in Missouri is only 66 percent, much lower than state (76 percent) and national (85 percent) seat belt use.

The new teen seat belt campaign takes aim at this ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude. The campaign uses photos of crashed vehicles with phrases like “I”ll never wreck my car” and “I’ll never get hurt.” Then the campaign drives home the message “Never Say Never. Buckle Up.”

The campaign is just one of the new strategies for increasing seat belt use in Missouri. Law enforcement will also mobilize in March to enforce the seat belt law. Under the Graduated Driver License Law, teens are required to wear their seat belt and it’s a primary offense, meaning they can be pulled over solely for not wearing their seat belt.

Other strategies for increasing teen seat belt use include working with schools to revoke high school parking permits for students who don’t buckle up and rewarding students who do.

A teen seat belt observational survey in April will determine if the new strategies have increased Missouri’s teen seat belt use. Buckle Up and Arrive Alive.

Changing of the Chair

Commission Chair Grace Nichols

Yesterday, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission elected Grace Nichols, St. Charles, as its chair for a one-year term.  The former chair, Rudy Farber, Neosho, will serve as vice-chair.

Nichols has served on the commission since March of 2008.  Farber was appointed to the commission in March 2007. 

"My focus will be on supporting the department in its efforts to provide a high level of service while getting smaller and curbing services, necessitated by reduced funding levels from the gasoline tax and federal programs," Nichols said.  "We must show Missourians that transportation is a personal issue that affects them every day and is in need of additional funding."

Until her appointment to the commission, Nichols was a Senior Circuit Judge in St. Charles County and was also mayor of St. Charles for two terms - elected in 1987 and again in 1991. Prior to her public service, she spent many years in private law practice, in addition to active involvement in business, civic and arts groups.  

Vice Chair Rudy Farber

Farber is chairman of the board of Community Bank & Trust in Neosho.

Other commission members are David Gach, St. Joseph; Joe Carmichael, Springfield; Stephen Miller, Kansas City and Kenneth Suelthaus, St. Louis.

More information about Nichols is published in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

MoDOT Cares a Whole Awful Lot

Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! Schools across the country are celebrating the famous author of whimsical, rhyming children’s stories with a national day of reading. I have fond memories of reading his stories to my children because of the powerful life lessons he portrayed in such a magical way.

Looking back through his messages, one is particularly relevant where MoDOT employees are concerned. In his book “The Lorax” he wrote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

With the economy in a slow recovery, many Missourians have faced tough times and have needed a helping hand. A part of that help has come through the annual Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign.

MoDOT employees showed that they care “a whole awful lot” by giving the most contributions among all state agencies again – the fourth year in a row. Plus with a contribution of $202,682, MoDOT became the first agency ever to give more than $200,000 in two consecutive years.

Altogether, Missouri state employees raised more than $1 million for local, state and national non-profit organizations during the campaign. When people show they care in these kinds of ways, it’s surely a good sign of hope for better days!

What's That Flash?

Flashing yellow arrows are becoming more common throughout Missouri. Have you seen one at an intersection near you? Watch below to learn more:

Brake for Seat Belts

Missouri traffic fatalities have decreased by 35 percent since 2005 saving 1,538 lives. Yet seat belt use in Missouri has shown no improvement. Sixty-eight percent of the people killed in traffic crashes are unrestrained representing more than two times the amount of lives we have saved with our safety initiatives since 2005.

Statewide law enforcement will join together tomorrow, Feb. 25 for an aggressive seat belt enforcement effort to get more motorists to buckle up — and save more lives.

Despite evidence proving the benefits of wearing a seat belt, it's still not clicking for nearly one in four Missouri motorists.

Seat belt use in Missouri has remained relatively unchanged in the last six years and consistently below the national average. Missouri has 76 percent seat belt use, well below the national average of 85 percent. Teens and pick-up truck drivers are among those least likely to buckle up at 66 and 61 percent.

For more information about the benefits of seat belts, visit www.saveMOlives.com.

Potholes Popping Up? Report Them!

The other day I put a soda in the freezer as a quick and easy way to make it cold. Of course in my usual forgetfulness, several hours passed before I remembered to retrieve it. To my dismay, the carbonated liquid goodness froze and expanded beyond the can’s ability to contain it. In other words, it had exploded and left me with quite a mess to clean up.

That’s very similar to what has been happening to a lot of our roads. While higher temperatures made quick work of much of the snow that blanketed Missouri in historic amounts earlier this month, it also left motorists with another travel condition to watch out for – potholes.

As the snow and ice began to melt during those warmer days, it seeped into cracks and joints in the pavement. As the temperature dropped again each night, the water would refreeze and expand in those crevices inside the pavement, causing it to bulge and fracture. The wear and tear of traffic on top made it worse and eventually chunks of the road began to fall out, just like the frozen soda blew the walls of the aluminum can out.

In the future, I can easily prevent another “blow out” in the freezer by simply not leaving my unopened can in there again. On the other hand, there’s nothing I can do to prevent a pothole from forming, but I can be on the lookout for them and report them to MoDOT so they can be fixed right away.

If you encounter a pothole, report it to MoDOT online using the “Report a Road Concern” link on www.modot.org or call 1-888-275-6636.

More Missourians Choose Travel by Train

Reliable service and reasonable fares at a time of record-breaking winter weather and rising gas prices equal more Missourians choosing to travel by train. The number of passengers on Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner trains grew 13.3 percent in January compared to a year ago. In fact, ridership on the St. Louis to Kansas City corridor has grown every month, except one, since October 2009.

One factor that continues to help the Missouri River Runner draw customers is its on-time performance, which was at 90 percent in January. Another reason is its friendly service, which received a 92 percent customer satisfaction rate in December, the fourth best out of 27 Amtrak state-supported and other short distance routes.

Growth in ridership is good news. More passengers translate to more ticket revenues, which helps keep Missouri’s costs for this state-supported service down.

The capacity and reliability of this service will continue to improve as Missouri takes on more rail improvement projects this year with funding received from the Federal Railroad Administration. Plus, many communities along the rail corridor are showing their support with station improvement projects. Altogether these improvements make the train an even more viable alternative transportation option for Missourians

So, when was the last time you rode the train? Get on board and see why more people are choosing the Missouri River Runner.

A Valuable Tool for Missourians

 

It’s been rough this winter. Snow and ice pummeled the state without mercy. Blizzard conditions smothered our roadways. Interstates closed.

But Missourians handled it. They were armed with the power of information, and the numbers prove it.

 During each snow event, hundreds of thousands of travelers turned to MoDOT’s website and social media outlets to see road conditions before they even left their homes.

MoDOT’s online Traveler Information Map, located at www.modot.org, logged a record-breaking half-million visits over a three-day period from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Statewide, MoDOT added more than 3,500 new Facebook fans and 500 new Twitter followers.

            These numbers are testimony to the common sense found in Missouri’s citizens. Over the years, they’ve learned to turn to MoDOT for travel information that could potentially save time, money and lives.

            Local weather reports and law enforcement still play a vital role in getting the message out.  Weather conditions can change in an instant and folks need to get all the info they can before making the decision to travel.  MoDOT partners with these traditional means to give Missouri the most complete picture technology will allow.

            It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago these electronic information avenues didn’t even exist. Now, they are a valuable tool for Missourians. 

Keeping You on the Right Side of the Road

If you have driven across the state of Missouri, chances are you have seen Median Guard Cable and may not even have known it.

Guard Cable has already been installed from St. Louis to Kansas City on Interstate 70. It also stretches along Interstate 44 and on Highway 63 from Jefferson City to Columbia and other major highways across the Show-Me-State.

But what exactly is Guard Cable? Watch above to find out.

Have You Seen a TowPLow in Action?

Take a peek into the world of a TowPLow driver. Have you seen one in action?

Snow Stats

It was all hands on deck last week as MoDOT crews battled one of the biggest snow storms ever to hit the state. The numbers are still coming in, but we estimate that more than 2,500 employees and 1,600 pieces of equipment were used to clear the state's 33,000-mile highway system. Workers put in more than 90,000 hours and used in excess of 30,000 tons of salt and other abrasive materials to treat state roads and bridges. Snowplow trucks logged 1.1 million miles. Overall, the estimated cost of the storm is $7.7 million.

Once the state highways were mostly clear, MoDOT staff turned their efforts to roads in 16 counties at the request of Gov. Jay Nixon. Maintenance crews opened approximately 1,200 miles of snow-covered county roads over three days.

Whenever winter weather hits, remember to turn to our Traveler Information Map at http://www.modot.org/ for the latest road conditions. You can also call our toll-free number at 1-888-275-6636.

Celebrate the Super Bowl with a Designated Driver

What’s your favorite part of the Super Bowl? Mine is definitely the commercials, with the food coming in as a close second. But, for many party-goers out there, knocking down a few alcoholic drinks may be one of their favorite ways to enjoy the big game and that can be a big problem if they plan on driving.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s largest and most entertaining national sporting events. It is also one of the most dangerous days on the roads, due to drinking and driving. This year, you can make the right call and help prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries by designating a sober driver before you begin celebrating.

Young males, ages 21 to 34, are most likely to be involved in automobile crashes, to drive while impaired and be among those least likely to wear their safety belts. Research also shows that the same group is the core audience for major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Last year in Missouri there were 37 crashes on Super Bowl Sunday that involved an impaired (alcohol and/or other drugs) driver. One person was killed and 14 people were injured.

If you are hosting the party at your place, find unique ways to recognize the designated drivers at your party:

• Give them a great spot to watch the game
• Whatever non-alcoholic beverage they are drinking, make sure their glass is always full
• Let them have the first pass at the buffet table
• Make sure their cars are easy to access when it is time to start driving people home

And always encourage all partygoers to buckle up coming and going. Remember, Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. For more information, visit saveMOlives.com.

Amazing Snow Fighters, Amazing Missourians

Making a snowman with your daughter.

Your son clinging to you as you sled down the hill.

Sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace with your spouse.

Snow storms like the one we just experienced sure aren't fun, but there are moments that make for fond memories. Most of us take these moments for granted.

The heroic men and women who take care of our roads, however, do not. In fact, they may never experience many of the winter activities the rest of us enjoy. That's because when it is snowing they are treating roads with salt, plowing and even assisting stranded motorists. They wouldn't have it any other way.

I am proud to work with these great folks. Over the past few days, faced with a historic snow storm, I have been reminded of the dedication and can-do attitude of the people who work tirelessly to keep our roads safe. Even at the darkest (or whitest) points of this storm when the wind was blowing the snow back on the highways about as quick as we plowed it off, our crews kept fighting. They were focused on holding their own in the battle knowing they would eventually win the war. And, while there is much work left to do, they are winning that war.

I have also been reminded of what great people live in the state of Missouri. The outpouring of support on MoDOT's Facebook page, through email, phone calls and other ways has been heartwarming. Most people didn't ask questions. They made a special effort to simply let our crews know they appreciated them and encouraged them to stay safe.

For the most part, people also heeded our strong cautions to stay off the roads if at all possible. Missourians recognized that the safest place to be was at home. This good old Missouri common sense limited accidents and allowed our snow crews to do their jobs.

The efforts of our crews and the support of Missourians remind us that transportation is indeed personal. In the coming months, we will talk more about why a safe transportation system with lots of options to get where you need to go has a personal benefit to each of us.

In the meantime, stay safe, stay warm and thank you for the support you have shown our amazing snow fighters.

Is Missouri Ready for Snowmageddon 2011?

Get ready for snow Missouri, as Redd Foxx might have said, this could be the big one. Whatever you call it - SnowMaggedon, SnowMG, Snonami, SnowNoWay, OhSnowYouDidn’t , or something else, it’s coming to the entire state. Just as you run to the store to clear out the bread aisle at the grocery store and grab an extra bag of salt to get ready, MoDOT is busy preparing well ahead of each storm also.

Hours before weather is predicted to arrive, MoDOT employees gather around the state to begin organizing and preparing for whatever Mother Nature is sending our way. Besides sending staff out to treat the roads when necessary, employees also check all supplies like salt, fuel, generators and equipment to ensure all levels will last through the coming weather. Staff from around the state also talk with each other to see where resources can be shared if necessary to ensure the roads will be kept as safe as possible.

Even as the bad weather finally hits, not only do you have staff working to keep you safe on the roads, but behind the scenes as well. Many employees stay on the phones, or monitor road conditions across the state in Emergency Operation Centers that will be staffed all hours of the day as needed.

Your best bet in weather like this is to stay at home. If you do need to travel though, plan ahead, take your time and know what you’re up against by checking the department’s Traveler Information Map. Located at www.modot.org, the map gives drivers an up-to-the-minute view of road conditions for major Missouri highways. Conditions for major routes across the state are color-coded to give visitors the information they need at a glance. Travelers can also call MoDOT’s toll-free number, 888-ASK-MODOT, to get road condition information.

So, grab your shovel and get ready…we are. Arrive Alive.

Got a Minute?

This week's MoDOT Minute shares some great news about Missouri's reduction in traffic fatalities and how living history will be traveling through the state very soon.