Starting a Road Trip to Adventure

"Winds in the east, there's a mist comin' in
Like somethin' is brewin' and 'bout to begin.
Can't put me finger on what lies in store,
But I feel what's to happen all happened before.”

                                         -Richard and Robert Sherman

Conway Welcome Center

                       

As the cold winds of winter blow warmer each day, a spark is rekindled in the hearts of many Missourians. That spark is the inspiration for adventure, family fun and the open road.

Like many of my fellow Missourians I remember piling in the family car and taking off for great American destinations every summer. As my brother and I piled into the back seat of the car with our minds racing about what “I spy” item would really stump the other during the drive, I would always have that feeling that something exciting was about to begin.

While a detour was usually made to visit grandparents or a nearby cave there was always one stop that we made before leaving the state and one stop before returning home. It was a constant that we would stop at a Missouri rest area. It allowed space to stretch our legs, get a drink, use the restroom and convince my dad to completely unpack the trunk to find the GameBoy that I had packed in my suitcase.

As a kid these stops were markers for the vacation in my mind. Going on a drive was common, but when we stopped at a rest area it was the launching pad for a vacation adventure! We were headed somewhere new, fun and exciting. On the way home the same rest areas were a welcome sight as they told me we were close to home.

With 15 rest areas and eight welcome centers on Missouri Interstates it is easy to find a good break point regardless of if you are launching into a family vacation, returning home from a long trip, or just need a place to pull off the road for a minute.  An estimated 16.5 million visitors will stop at a Missouri rest area this year to enjoy their amenities and a much needed moment to stretch and walk around.

Take time to get to know the Missouri rest area’s and welcome centers at, http://www.modot.org/services/travel/restarea/. Catch that spark this summer and let the Missouri roads lead you on an adventure!

Not looking to leave the Missouri this summer? There is plenty of adventure right here in the Show-Me State! Go to http://www.visitmo.com/ for an amazing list of vacations right here at home!

Focus on the Road Winner Gets New Ford Focus

At the Joe Machens Ford dealership last night, 11 finalists lined up, each holding a key. One of the keys would start the engine of a brand new 2012 Ford Focus.

The finalist's journey began with the Focus on the Road campaign sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, KRCG and Joe Machens Ford. Nearly 9,000 people made the pledge on KRCG's website to stay focused on driving.

One by one, each finalist that had pledged to stay focused and shun distracted driving climbed in the car and tried their key. Tension mounted when only two contestants were left, and then Jody Mealy of Portland, Mo., got into the driver's seat. As the engine started up smoothly for her, Mealy's excitement was unmistakable.

Each day, distracted driving causes nearly 8,000 crashes nationwide. Making your own pledge to stay focused will help bring that number down.

We can't all win a car for our pledge, but when we focus, everyone on the road wins big.

For more information about how to stop distracted driving, visit www.saveMOlives.com.

Holiday Express

KCS's Holiday Express has delivered Jolly Old St. Nicholas to Union Station in Kansas City. Bring the kids out this weekend: Dec. 16 and 17 from 9:30 a.m. - 7 p.m and Dec. 18 from 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. It's free!

Cell Phone Use Banned for Commercial Motor Vehicles

With the start of the new year, commercial motor vehicle drivers will need to put their phones down when behind the wheel.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are implementing a ban for drivers of  commercial motor vehicles and buses. School bus drivers and those driving vehicles designed to carry nine to 15 passengers are included.

These drivers are banned from reaching for, holding or dialing a mobile phone while driving.

Do you know a CMV or bus driver? A hands-free device may be a great holiday gift idea.

Find the full federal regulations at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-02/html/2011-30749.htm.

Time to Focus and Win!

What a great way to start off 2012 -- a pledge for safe driving, and a 2012 Ford Focus! There's still time to make your pledge and enter to win! Entries are accepted until December 14, 2011. Follow Focus on the Road at www.facebook.com/focusontheroadmo or visit www.connectmidmissouri.com/focusontheroad.

Good luck, and safe travels!

No MOre Trash!

With the holidays in full swing, decorations are popping up all over. If your family gets tired of the same old tinsel and lights, here's a twist for your decorating skills. Even better, your children can help fight against litter throughout the state.

The Missouri Department of Conservation and MoDOT are sponsoring the annual "Yes You CAN Make Missouri Litter Free" trash-can-decorating contest.

The contest encourages school classes and groups to join in the fight against litter by decorating and displaying a large trash can with the No MOre Trash! logo and a litter-prevention message. It's free to enter and teaches students a valuable message about keeping Missouri clean for generations to come.

Seems like a great way to clean up Missouri, and also impress Santa as he puts together that famous list.

Find all of the details at www.nomoretrash.org.

2011 Grand Prize Winners 

Smart Santa

Santa is no fool - in addition to tracking that naughty and nice list, he knows how to make sure he's home safely after a long night.



Law enforcement will be out today through Dec. 12 cracking down on drivers who are impaired. Whether your vehicle is a car, truck or sleigh, make the right choice and drive sober. If your merry-making involves alcohol or anything else that takes away your focus, find a safe ride home. You may not find a flying cab, but our Show Me My Buzz app can at least help you find a safe ride on the ground.

Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Winter Won't Wait

For me, this year has flown! I did a double-take this morning when I realized it's actually the last month of the year, the month winter officially begins. I've really been in denial about the cold coming, still occasionally going out without my coat, staring longingly at my sandals.

But experience has taught me that no matter what schedule I'm on, winter won't wait.

The last thing I want is to be stranded with a car that I didn't prepare for winter. If I'm cold now, I can imagine how I'd feel stuck in a snowstorm.

This video is a good reminder to get my vehicle in shape for the snow ahead. Hope it helps you too! Let us know if you have any tips to add for safe winter travel.

Opinions for Improving Missouri's Rail System

Gathering opinions to help shape the future of Missouri’s rail system was the focus of community leader workshops and public meetings recently conducted by oMultimodal Railroad staff in each of MoDOT’s seven districts.

The following comments from participants give just a few examples of what staff learned about how important freight and passenger rail service are to Missourians:

Freight rail benefits Missouri with jobs, fuel efficient transportation of all goods hauled and [it] connects all of Missouri with the rest of the nation.

 [Freight rail] helps get very heavy or awkward freight off the roads, which means less damage to roads and bridges and less danger to auto traffic. It expands shipping options and encourages industry. 

Rail passenger service provides an economical transportation alternative to those with and without access to cars, helps with tourism, helps to save the environment by reducing pollution, and promotes better land use and development. 

These comments and others captured at meetings in October and November have been compiled and will be used to develop a new State Rail Plan. The plan will provide the strategic framework for improving the movement of goods and people in Missouri for the next 20 years.

Multimodal Railroad officials have also met with Amtrak and key freight railroad companies that operate in Missouri to gather additional information for the plan. Statistics such as passenger ridership, miles of track, commodities hauled, tonnage and value of shipments, system size and other operational information will provide an important overview of today’s system. MoDOT will use this data to identify current rail assets, rail system conditions and capacity and future project needs in the plan.

“We had great discussions across the state,” said MoDOT’s Rail Administrator Eric Curtit. “Overall, Missourians expressed that freight and passenger rail service is important to Missouri’s economic well being and quality of life.”

Communities expressed interest in expanding passenger rail service to areas like Hannibal, St. Joseph, Springfield and Branson. Business leaders expressed interest in gaining better access to freight rail service as an economical shipping option that would, in turn, enable them to create more jobs and generate more revenue.

Throughout the winter months, the State Rail Plan project team will prepare a draft. It will assess and evaluate the current system, identify and prioritize future programs and projects and guide long-term policies for the future development of Missouri’s rail system. The team will return to communities across Missouri in the spring so the public can review and comment on the plan before it is completed and submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration in May 2012.Bottom of Form

Saved by the Belt

Thanks to Heidi making the smart choice to buckle up, she and her family have a happy Thanksgiving celebration today.

Save Your Giblets

Thanksgiving can be a dangerous time for motorists, especially unbelted ones. No matter when you're traveling, make sure the only belt unbuckled is at your Thanksgiving dinner table and not in your vehicle.

It's your best defense in a crash. Buckle Up to Arrive Alive!

Limiting Work Zones for Thanksgiving Travel

Ready for Thanksgiving? To help with your travels, this weekend, we're restricting construction work on interstates and state highways. Work will stop at noon tomorrow and resume at 9 a.m. on Monday.

Traffic will still be restricted in areas where there are permanent barriers, and crews may continue to work on sections of roadway closed to the public.

To get the latest road condition reports, keep the Traveler Information Map handy at www.modot.org.

Home for the Holidays

Just in time for busy Thanksgiving travel, Amtrak's Missouri River Runner is adding a third coach to Train 316, the evening eastbound train, from Kansas City to St. Louis, Nov. 16-27.

The added coach will help with seating for holiday travelers, as more are expected for the Thanksgiving holiday. Last year, ridership was up 17 percent in November from the previous year.

For more information, visit www.morail.org.

Do you have any stories about your train travel in Missouri! Please share your Missouri River Runner memories in the comments.

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.

Take the Right Steps

Take the right steps to stay safe when you're walking! 


Pedestrian fatalities have been increasing in Missouri. MoDOT is launching an effort to reduce these fatalities and encourage pedestrians to be safe, be seen and Arrive Alive.


Whether you're out for a stroll or your car breaks down, you may find yourself near a busy road. Here are some important steps you can take to be safe.

Be Safe. Be Seen. Arrive Alive.

• Obey signs and signals.
• Walk, don’t run.
• Use sidewalks. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, facing traffic and stay close to the edge of the road.
• Cross streets only at intersections or crosswalks.
• Don’t assume drivers will stop for you. Unless you are in a crosswalk, the driver usually has the right of way.
• Lighten up at night. Wear white or light colors, reflective strips and carry a flashlight.

For more information, visit www.saveMOlives.com.

How to Save a Life

We are so glad Missouri teen Heidi Turner took the few seconds to buckle up. As her car slid on a rainy day and rolled two times, the seat belt kept her in place. When all other items in the car flew out the window, she didn't.

Heidi now knows how to save a life, just by clicking a simple seat belt.
Read the full story here.

If you don't buckle up for yourself, do it for your family. Do it for someone who loves you. This is why:

Heidi landed upside down and was able to crawl out the window to safety, thanks to her seat belt.

The seat belt made sure that the only passenger casualties were Heidi's purse and backpack.

MoDOT Minute

MoDOT's top news to you in 60 seconds!

Not a Trick

Bob's story is not a trick, but it's sure a treat for us to have him back!


He had quite an adventure over the last few days, but we'll let him tell the story from his facebook page:

"Where does Barrel Bob go for repair? The plastic surgeon, of course!
I had quite the weekend and have to take some sick leave from my post on US 54 near Lake of the Ozarks. 
Early Saturday morning, I was abducted and forced to carsurf atop a PT Cruiser. It was the second most terrifying experience of my life – and I stand in WORK ZONES, people!
Luckily, the Osage Beach police were on the job and liberated me from the back bedroom of my abductor’s condo. Any photos that might find their way to the Interwebs were taken under duress and my strenuous objection…especially those taken from the left. Everyone knows that the right is my good side."

Bob, we're so glad you're back!

Halloween Buzz

A new smartphone app, Show Me My Buzz, can help you arrive home safely after your Halloween parties this weekend.

The app helps you calculate your estimated blood alcohol concentration, based on your gender and the amount of drinks consumed. Best of all, the app puts you in touch with a nearby cab company quickly and easily. Just make sure the cabby's zombie costume is actually a costume!

Download the app for your iPhone or Android today, and you're on your way to a weekend of spooktacular fun!

A Halloween Treat

Use Your Head. Designate a Sober Driver.

Trick or Treat! My children are ridiculously excited for Halloween and have been counting down the days for weeks. They can't wait to get the treats in store, and I'm ready to sneak a few of their peanut butter cups myself.

For adults, Halloween fun can take a different turn. If ghoulish punch is on tap, avoid the unwelcome horror of a traffic crash. Plan a designated driver, and keep them well-stocked with fun-sized Skittles and root beer.

For those Halloween heroes who drive sober, heads up -- slow down and pay special attention to the little goblins, princesses and Transformers running about. If they're as excited as my little ones are, their minds are solely focused on Snickers and Tootsie Rolls -- not watching out for traffic.

With a little planning, Halloween can be full of treats for every age and celebration.