A Great Time to Arrive Alive

Yesterday was a great day to Arrive Alive in Missouri. Several hundred of us gathered together on the court at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia to celebrate the 436 lives saved last year on Missouri roads, due to the partnering efforts of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. With the economy and all the negative things that happen, it’s not often we get to hear or celebrate positive news – so it’s refreshing to concentrate on the fact that we are making positive changes in our state.

In fact, due to changes we’ve made and a lot of people working together, we’ve reduced roadway fatalities from 1,257 in 2005 to 821 in 2010. That means 1,538 people made it home to their families who otherwise might not have, and this is an overall decrease of 35 percent. The coalition, of which MoDOT is a partner, set a goal of 850 deaths or fewer by the end of 2012, and we actually met that goal two years early!

The coalition credits a combination of law enforcement, educational efforts, emergency medical services, engineering enhancements and public policy as the successful formula for saving lives. In 2007, Missouri recorded fewer than 1,000 fatalities for the first time in more than 15 years. This allowed the coalition to meet an ambitious goal one year early. In October 2008, the coalition announced a new goal for traffic fatality reductions at 850 or less by 2012. The last time Missouri reached less than 850 fatalities was 1949.

Besides law enforcement and education, other measures aimed at decreasing fatalities and serious injuries for this year include focusing on topics like run-off road crashes, distracted driving, impaired driving, and new engineering solutions for decreasing traffic crashes.

For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com. Buckle Up to Arrive Alive.

I Told Congress

As Congress begins work on a new transportation bill, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has launched a social media campaign to generate your thoughts about what the priorities should be.

They are looking for anyone who is affected by transportation in the U.S. (and that's everyone!) to participate and offer your input. Share your comments and concerns at www.transportation.org/IToldCongress.

The campaign is designed to give America's transportation users a voice in the debate about how to fund and shape the nation's federal highway and transit programs.

So what do you have to say?

Way To Go!

You did it!  Thanks to your votes and your support, Missouri won Union Pacific's Great Excursion Adventure and their legendary steam locomotive will now travel to more than 60 stops in the state. The steam train brings out thousands of rail fans and kids of all ages to see a living piece of American history.


After participants voted more than 178,000 times in the final round, the winning route is the Little Rock Express. It edged the Tuscola Turn by 3,042 votes to win.

Look for the actual dates of the excursion in the coming weeks on UP's facebook page, the Missouri River Runner facebook page, or check back here. Thanks for routing the steam!

More CMV Drivers are Buckling Up

Professional drivers are leading by example. The buckle-up rate for Missouri CMV drivers is up to 80.6 percent while 76 percent of other drivers make it click.

Tanker, bus, double trailer, box and flat trailer haulers are the shining stars in the seat belt survey. Dump truck drivers' still have a lot of clicking to do – their seat belt usage was the lowest at 57.5 percent.

Federal motor carrier regulations make failure to use a seat belt a primary enforcement offense - meaning that an officer can pull a driver over for no other reason than the lack of belt use. A seat belt citation can be costly and affect both drivers' and companies' federal safety scores.

Commercial motor vehicle drivers spend entire work days behind the wheel. With so much time spent in their vehicle, it's important that they protect themselves by buckling up. Seven out of 10 Missourians killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled.

The safest place for you to be in a crash is behind a buckled safety belt. Besides keeping you from smashing around the cab – or ejecting and being crushed – during a crash, it keeps you in a position to possibly regain control and avoid secondary collisions - so even more travelers get to Arrive Alive.

Safety is primary. So is the seat belt regulation for commercial drivers. Buckle up and Arrive Alive.

Bring a Union Pacific Steam Train to Missouri!

There are only three days left for you to vote to route the steam to Missouri. That's right! You have an opportunity to bring a Union Pacific Steam Train to more than 60 Missouri communities. The steam train brings of rail fans and kids of all ages to see a living piece of American history right here at home.

Want to see it for yourself? Vote today for the "Little Rock Express," and voters can continue to vote each day. You can even encourage your friends to vote by sharing the http://www.upexcursion.com/ link on Facebook and Twitter!

Voting continues through midnight on January 17. Vote today to route the steam!

A Parent's Nightmare

“Sure, honey, I can take all four of our kids to the store with me.” 

Yeah, I am a glutton for punishment. 

Levi rides in the cart until he sees the toys.  Emma opens the cookies and I end up paying for an empty box.  Zoe doesn’t understand why we can’t buy every single item she lays her eyes on.  Noah, well, he just wants to be anywhere else on the planet than the store.  It’s chaos, but we usually make it through unscathed.

I move fast down the aisles, making periodic checks on all four kids.  Levi: check.  Noah: check.  Zoe: check.  Emma.   Emma?  She was on my right!  Where is she?!  The panic slaps me in the face.  Every other thought flushes from my brain and the heat pulses through my body.  My heart leaps and my stomach sinks.  As a parent, a protector, the shock of loss is primal.  The horror of the moment reaches from the depths and squeezes.

It’s always the same vision:  a stranger, with my baby, heading out the front door.  In a moment, they’re gone.  Forever.

My physical reactions and mental breakdown seem to last an eternity, but really it’s only one or two seconds.  I turn around.  Emma strolls a few feet behind, eating cookies, oblivious to the slobbering mess her father has become.  My chest loosens and the ghastly thoughts melt away.

But what if I turned around and she wasn’t there?  What if my worst fears became all too real and she was just… gone?

It’s something no parent should have to face.  Yet it is a reality and MoDOT plays a vital role in helping find abducted children.  MoDOT uses its permanent electronic message boards along Interstates 70 and 44, as well as in St. Louis and Kansas City, to post Amber Alerts.

The AMBER Alert program was created in 1996 following the abduction of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas. The purpose of the plan is to provide a rapid response to the most serious child abduction cases.  Since its creation, the AMBER Alert program is credited with the successful recovery of 523 children.

 

January 13^th is AMBER Alert Awareness Day.  This is a time to remind people about the program and help make sure that when a parent’s momentary panic becomes real, we have a line of defense to get their child back.

Written by Mark Baumgartner, Multimedia Services

Emergency Markers Make for a Still Merry Christmas

It was a cold evening on Dec. 23, and my husband, my three small children and I along with our big, red dog, luggage and Christmas gifts were all packed tightly into our minivan and traveling on Interstate 70 to visit relatives. I was enjoying my early Christmas gift of a personal DVD player with the headphones on (have you ever traveled with small kids?), when my husband tapped my shoulder and informed me that our vehicle had um, well, quit working. So with children screaming, and the dog barking, I called roadside assistance for help and when they asked us exactly where we were. The one happy moment in this whole situation was that I was able to look out my window and read the information off the nearest emergency reference marker.

Roadside reference markers originally were installed on 1,200 miles of Missouri interstates in 2006 to replace older markers and to save time, money and most importantly- lives!

The markers provide the road’s name and direction of travel, information that the old mile markers lacked. The signs are installed every 0.2 miles, as opposed to every mile, to provide motorists more accurate location information in emergency situations. The markers also replace the white reflective posts, which were installed every 0.1 mile. The new signs are larger, more durable and reflective and require less maintenance, which will save the department money and improve safety.

Thankfully, ours wasn’t an emergency situation, but as many travelers have found, these markers are a big help in emergencies. Emergency responders have been able to get to incidents more quickly thanks to the information from these markers.

Overall, the new markers also save MoDOT maintenance costs because the department will use only half as many devices, which means fewer obstacles to mow around and less maintenance work needed. In addition, the new signs are expected to last up to 10 years, compared to the average two-year life expectancy of the old signs.

Missouri was one of the first states in the nation to make extensive use of these markers, but other states are now using them in growing numbers.

So while Christmas 2010 will still go down as being one of the most expensive holidays ever in our family’s history (due to vehicle repairs and not gifts), it was still a merry one thanks to getting where we needed to be safely.

Snow Shoveling Secrets

Once should be enough when it comes to shoveling snow out of your driveway after a winter storm. Unfortunately, that snow can end up re-deposited across your driveway entrance when snowplows begin to clear your street. Here's a simple solution to help you avoid a second round of shoveling.

Missouri Miles

Do you know what a J-Turn is and how it can help you?
Many of you had to do some shoveling as we ended 2010, but do you know the best way to shovel your driveway so you don't have to shovel twice?
Check out what's been happening on Missouri Miles as we kick off 2011.

Compelling Slogan

A compelling slogan for why you should buckle up!

To the Point

The Missouri-made TowPLow continues to gain recognition as an innovation. What is it and how does it help your commute? Listen as MoDOT's System Management Director Don Hillis gets "To the Point" about how this unique plow is quickly becoming an important asset in the snow removal process in Missouri and across the nation.

To the Point

Signs of Progress

The end of a year just isn't the same without a little reflection on the year's accomplishments. For 2010, MoDOT had some big ones. Customer satisfaction and trust are high, billions of pounds of waste have been recycled, kcICON opened early and was selected as a top road project, and the number of fatalities on Missouri roads continue to decline. Watch below to learn about 2010's top ten signs of progress for Missouri transportation.

Drive Clear in the New Year

Drive Clear in the New Year!

Over the past five years, 1,394 Missourians have been killed in impaired driving crashes. The choice is yours. Be responsible and make one of your New Year's resolutions be to Drive Clear in the New Year.

Take the Drive Clear in the New Year quiz to learn more about the devastating effects of impaired driving and you will be automatically entered to win one of four $20 gas cards from MFA Oil/Break Time. The contest runs from January 3-7, 2011. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced by 5 p.m. January 7.

Official Rules

Your Input, Please

If you could guide the future of rail in Missouri, where would it lead?  A new online survey gives you the chance to tell us.

Visit MoDOT's homepage at www.modot.org or click directly to the survey here to give your input.

Results, along with other information collected through public involvement activities, will be used to help MoDOT create a statewide rail plan that will focus on three areas: Freight rail development, passenger rail and highway/rail crossing safety.

So speak up! Make tracks to the survey today and share it with someone you know who wants a voice in the future of rail in Missouri.

Enforcement on the Island

Officer Scott Roach with Meghan Carter, the affiliate executive director for MADD St. Louis.

Officer Scott Roach with the St. Louis County Police Department has a passion for keeping people alive. Sometimes his passion leads him to an uninhabited island, or more precisely a median island at an intersection near Melville High School.

Officer Roach knows that keeping your hands on the wheel and off of your cell phone can prevent a crash, and wearing your seat belt can save your life if you are in one. The state of Missouri has made it illegal to text and drive if you are 21 or under; and St. Louis County has passed an ordinance saying you can be pulled over and ticketed if you are not wearing your seat belt – at any age.

He says these laws are sometimes difficult to enforce from the comfort of his patrol car simply because you can’t really see what is going on inside the vehicle of a passing motorist. He says people have taken to holding their cell phones down low so you can’t see what they are doing which makes texting and driving even more dangerous.

With all this in mind, on a recent week day, Officer Roach got out of his patrol car, and took an unassuming position on the island at the intersection of Lemay Ferry Road at Buckley Road in jeans and a hoodie.  He had previously set  up his plan with five officers in squad cars who were on the side of the road just ahead of him.

 “Two thumbs on a keyboard is a dead giveaway,” said Roach. But even then it’s difficult to prove someone was texting. They can always use the excuse of checking voicemail or flipping through their contact list. “One young lady said she was texting her mom to tell her she would be calling her later,” he said. “That is not worth causing an accident.”

From his spot on the island, he radioed ahead to the squad cars a visual description of the vehicles in which the drivers was breaking the law. In two hours, the officers had together written tickets for 35 seat belt violations and three texting while driving tickets.

“I decided it was time to do something different when I realized my own daughter is just 9 years away from driving,” says Roach. “ I won’t be able to stand on that island very many times before people catch on to me. But then we’ll come up with something new.”

A Huge Heart

For a heartwarming boost to your holiday weekend, watch below to learn how a little girl has made a big difference in her community. Madalyn Hubbs is the daughter of MoDOT employee Melissa Hubbs in St. Louis, and it's wonderful to see how she is bringing smiles to those at Shriner's Hospital!

A Winter Wonderland

It seems a white Christmas is on the way for Missouri!

While my children are thrilled, I have to admit I'd prefer clear, dry weather for our family and the many families traveling this weekend. I'm glad to know MoDOT has been monitoring weather conditions all week and is ready for action even before the wintry mixes begin.

What's it like at MoDOT when that winter wonderland becomes a reality? Check out our post from last week - many employees will be working over the holiday to make sure the roads are treated and plowed, and we hope you'll let us know how we're doing.

In the meantime, it seems Santa has been cleared by the FAA for travel, and the reindeer of course have their secret weapon with Rudolph. The winter wonderland outside shouldn't keep Santa from getting around safely, and MoDOT will be out there doing everything possible to make sure your family has safe travels as well.

Learn more about the safest way to drive in winter weather at http://www.modot.org/newsandinfo/District0News.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=63601.

A Little Holiday Cheer Goes a Long Way on our Roads

Headed to Grandma’s house this Christmas? Enjoy the holiday, but remember to plan ahead to make sure you arrive alive.

Although the holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends, it can also be a very dangerous time on Missouri roads. In 2009, from Christmas Eve through New Year’s weekend, 24 fatalities occurred in traffic crashes on Missouri roads and 122 serious injuries.

Make a new year's resolution to always wear your seat belt and never drive impaired. Seat belts are proven life savers, saving more than 13,000 lives each year. During a crash, being buckled up keeps you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas being thrown out of a vehicle is almost always deadly.

Finally, Christmas is one of the busiest travel days of the year, and this year it looks like it’s shaping up to be a very white Christmas in most of Missouri. Allow extra time for your trip and consult MoDOT's Traveler Information Map at www.modot.org to get the latest road conditions.

Is Your Car Ready?

It seems like everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays this week, but is your car ready? Today is the first day of winter and we could be looking at a white Christmas in only a few days. Watch below to pick up some important tips to make sure you get to all of your holiday celebrations safely.

Some highlights include:

• Check your tire pressure and tread condition
• Make sure your antifreeze is at proper levels
• Inspect the oil level and windshield wiper fluid
• Pack a small emergency kit in case of the unexpected

Behind the Scenes of MoDOT's Winter Operations

Sometimes it's the little things that count the most. While most people envision big trucks plowing snow when it comes to our winter operations, there is an awful lot that goes on behind the scenes to help you get where you're going safely when the weather turns bad.


MoDOT becomes a beehive of activity at the mere hint of snow and ice. On a local level, staff members take a look at the tools they have - weather forecasts, pavement sensors, information from other states, etc. - and put their heads together to determine the best course of action to take. Like the snowflakes falling to the ground, no two storms are alike and neither is the plan of attack.


As each area carries out its action plan for the situation at hand, the information is shared with staff statewide. We use the word "snowcall" to describe the telephone conference calls that take place to make sure we're operating efficiently and effectively on a statewide level. The calls are used to determine what areas may need additional resources, such as people or equipment, and who has staff and trucks to spare. Sometimes, it's the mention that one area is noticing a shift in the storm that puts another region on alert. Other times, it's a heads up that certain chemicals and treatments are working better than others under the particular conditions. Or perhaps its a notice that highways in neighboring states are closed and will affect Missouri travelers. A wrap-up snowcall typically takes place following each winter weather event to determine what went right and what we can do to get better.


While all this is going on behind the scenes, our customer service representatives are busy 24/7 taking calls, providing road condition information and dispatching crews to trouble spots. Other employees are busy inputting data to keep the Traveler Information Map current for motorists. Still others are feeding information to the media and public via Twitter and Facebook.


It's all hands on deck at MoDOT when it comes to keeping roads clear and safe for travel. While we can't fool Mother Nature, we do try to manage what she sends our way!