Is Transportation Important to the Economy?

Director Pete Rahn addressed the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works this morning and answered a key question: Is Transportation Important to the Economy?

Pointing to the jobs that have been created with transportation Recovery Act funds, his answer is a resounding "yes." While transportation received six percent of total Recovery Act funds, it created 14 percent of direct jobs saved or created to date.

But you don't just have to take his word for it. The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials has found workers across the country whose jobs were saved or who went back to work. Their stories show just how investment in transportation benefits all of us.

The Highway Trust Fund has been extended for another 30 days, and it's a welcome relief as DOT workers can get back to the business of improving the nation's economy. But as Director Rahn pointed out to the committee this morning, a multi-year authorization bill is still vital.

Listen to Director Rahn's comments at the hearing here.

Missouri Miles

Many people may not realize how much transportation really affects them. More than just road work or your daily commute, transportation affects how you live, work and play each day in Missouri.

To show you the scenes behind those orange cones, MoDOT has started a video series to keep you up-to-date on everything Missouri. We take you along Missouri Miles to show you construction projects in your area, provide tips on safe travel and show some unique perspectives of how transportation affects you. With our pilot show, you even get a chance to take a road trip to Bennet Springs for a little winter fishing.

Travel Missouri Miles each month by visiting www.modot.org/modotvideos or through our YouTube channel. Let us know what you think, and what you might like to see covered on a later show.

Nobody Likes a Pothole

It will soon be that time of year; the snow will begin to melt, temperatures will begin to warm up and before you know it we’ll hear the first sounds of spring…our tires falling into potholes. Potholes are annoying – period.

Potholes occur because of expansion and contraction of water under the pavement. This expansion causes pavement to bend and crack, leaving gaps or voids. When cars drive over these gaps, the pavement collapses and pieces of roadway are kicked out, creating a pothole. The more freeze-thaw cycles an area has (like most of Missouri), the more potholes you will see.

Roads with high traffic volumes have more potholes due to amount of use. Bridges and ramps, which receive more salt and snow removal chemicals in the winter, also are more prone to potholes. Older roads tend to have more, as you’ve probably noticed.

Our Maintenance crews try to get out and patch potholes for safety reasons, as soon as the weather allows. Repairing potholes during inclement weather, or when an immediate repair is needed to maintain safety, means using cold patch asphalt until a more permanent repair can be performed. These patches are quick to do, but only temporary.

When the weather warms up, hot asphalt patching of potholes begins. These patches usually take more time to fix, depending on size and location, but will last considerably longer.

The long-term solution to potholes is to reconstruct the pavement, but this is also the most expensive option that takes the most amount of time.

If you notice a pothole on a state route, try using MoDOT’s online form to let us know. So even though we all agree potholes are annoying, please be patient as our crews work hard to patch them as quickly and safely as possible.

For a better look at how roads deteriorate over time, view the Life Cycle of a Highway video:

MoDOT's Environmental and Historical Preservation Section Launches New Web Site

Many people don’t know it but MoDOT’s responsibilities go beyond building roads and bridges. The department must also be a vigilant steward of Missouri’s environment and historical culture.

Because of the nature of its work, MoDOT encounters many opportunities to preserve and protect elements of Missouri’s culture and natural resources. In fact we have an entire division dedicated to these tasks.

The group is called the Environment Studies and Historic Preservation section and it is dedicated to protecting the things that give Missouri its identity.

Recently the section launched a new Web site to inform the public of what it does and how it does it.

On the site, visitors can learn about how MoDOT studies and addresses air quality, community impacts of projects, endangered species, Missouri archaeology, historic bridge preservation, and noise pollution.

To learn more about MoDOT’s Environmental Studies and Historic Preservation section, go to http://www.modot.org/ehp.

Our Primary Goal

One of the top strategies for reducing fatalities and injuries on Missouri roads is strengthening Missouri's seat belt law to allow for primary enforcement. Getting this law passed in our state will save lives, reduce injuries and save our state a lot of money. To me, it’s truly a no-brainer, but there are still people who don’t understand why we need a primary law.

Seven out of 10 Missourians killed in 2008 Missouri traffic crashes were unbuckled. Of those not killed or injured, 97 percent were wearing their seat belt at the time of the accident. And although our fatality rates on our roads have been decreasing for the last four years, we still had 880 people killed on our roads in 2009 – and many of them weren’t wearing their seat belts.

In fact, a 2009 survey reported only 77 percent of Missourians are buckling up. The state's rate has been at a plateau since 2004 and remains consistently below the national average of 84 percent. Research shows a primary seat belt law would increase the usage rate saving 63 lives, 759 serious injuries and $179 million in costs in the first year it goes into effect. Amending the current law will also provide $16.2 million in a one-time federal incentive grant to use for safety enforcement, education and engineering.

Missouri’s current seat belt law is considered only a secondary offense, meaning that a person must first be cited for some other traffic violation before being issued a ticket for failing to wear a safety belt.

Representative Steve Webber from Columbia recently introduced HB 1877 to the House of Representatives that would change all that. This bill would modify Missouri’s current seat belt law by making it a primary traffic offense and all drivers and passengers would be required to wear a safety belt.

I know there are still some people who won’t be in favor of a primary law, but the truth is Missouri needs it. This law will save money, reduce injuries on our roads and most importantly save lives – maybe even of someone you love. Let’s make this the year Missouri makes safety its primary goal.

One Year Later

What were you doing one year ago? 

One year ago sites like facebook and Twitter still seemed relatively new to many - now users have increased exponentially and both of my parents have accounts.

One year ago my daugher still didn't know about Dora the Explorer - now I sing the "map" song every night before bedtime, in the car, during dinner...

And one year ago today Missouri made history as the first state in the nation to begin a Recovery Act project - now Missouri has shown that investing in transportation creates jobs, boosts the economy and improves our roads and bridges.

See some of those improvements in the photos of that first-in-the-nation project, the Osage River Bridge.

And one year from now?  Who knows, but I'll hopefully have expanded my repertoire of children's songs by then.

How Fun is That?

I was happy today to check MoDOT's facebook page and see that we have surpassed the 3,000 fan mark. How fun is that? If you're a page administrator, trust me, it's pretty fun.

In checking some of the demographics, it turns out MoDOT has fans from mulitple states and countries, including Turkey, Denmark, South Korea and Jamaica. Wow! It's interesting to think of our Jamaica fans, perhaps with a laptop under a sunny tropical sky, checking the latest MoDOT update while crews are out today clearing roads on a snowy Missouri Monday.

I want to thank all of our facebook fans for their comments and participation. I hope you'll continue to give us your valuable feedback, and ask your friends to do the same. We want to hear from you!

In the meantime, we'll keep the updates coming and hope to see some of those sunny skies here soon, too.

Tangible Results

People expect their government to be efficient and held accountable. MoDOT takes that to heart and focuses on strong tangible results. A recent podcast by the Texas Department of Transportation interviewed MoDOT Director Pete Rahn and spoke with him about MoDOT's comprehensive performance management program. Listen to how it keeps Missouri moving in a positive direction and gives Missouri the accountability it deserves. Let us know your thoughts!

MoDOT's Performance Management

MoDOT Recovery Act Funds Obligated Ahead of Schedule

MoDOT meant business when it set out to show the world that transportation projects could have an immediate impact on creating jobs and boosting the economy. Before the ink was dry making the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act law, Missouri had signed a contract and began construction on the nation’s first stimulus project.

Keeping that momentum rolling, MoDOT has now obligated all of the $524.6 million it received in recovery act funds for MoDOT-administered projects well in advance of the March 2nd deadline.

“From launching the nation’s first transportation stimulus project to obligating all of our recovery act funds ahead of schedule, MoDOT has worked rapidly to show that transportation projects do play an integral role in supporting jobs and rebuilding our nation’s economy,” said MoDOT Director Pete Rahn. “While these funds don’t come close to covering all of our transportation needs, they have helped fill a short-term gap as other federal and state resources continue to decline.”

To date, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has awarded 187 economic stimulus projects totaling $469 million. The ARRA funding awarded to date will support 12,524 direct, indirect and induced jobs based on Federal Highway Administration estimates.

Under the Dome

I spent February 3 at the Missouri State Capitol. It was Transportation Day - a day when the leaders of MoDOT's regional districts and division leaders from headquarters make a special effort to visit with State senators and representatives.

I hung out in the Rotunda on the third floor, just outside the House of Representatives. Pretty rich surroundings for this office worker. Amid the marble, the columns, the bronze busts of honored Missourians and all manner of architectural wonder came Capitol visitors with comments and questions. Good comments and questions.

"I think the texting ban should extend to all ages." - Legislation to ban texting for ALL drivers was filed and is under consideration.

"What's with these train pictures?" - MoDOT administers the funding that makes AMTRAK possible in Missouri. The state legislature, federal lawmakers and administrators, Union Pacific Railroad and MoDOT worked as a team to jumpstart track improvements that have already improved on-time records for passenger rail service - and freight transportation time, too. More are on the way. The cooperative effort is a great success.

Between appointments, MoDOT leaders gathered to compare notes. They reported that legislators praised highway crews for valiant snow fighting efforts and asked questions about local projects and plans. They challenged the department to continue to squeeze the best value from every taxpayer dollar ... and to remain responsive to legislative ideas and requests.

The Capitol is a busy place of ideas, plans, action and opinions. Be sure to share your ideas and opinions on transportation and other topics with your elected officials - and with MoDOT, of course!

Traveling Through History

I’m sort of a history nut, so when our mapping and engineering policy groups started building the Missouri Highway Map Archive, I got into it. Those old maps were just the kind of historical gems I loved to bump into.

They were like snapshots of Missouri’s transportation history. It wasn’t just seeing the network of highways spread across their pages over the decades that was cool. It was the design of the covers, the Art Deco fonts from the 1930s, the flowery official language on the panels, the cover photos and layouts. All the details that captured the time period when they were printed. Even the map legends reflected issues of days gone by. Descriptions like “Earth Road Graded by State -- But Not All Weather” or designations for “Big Game Preserves” echoed values and concerns from a different era.

Now you can view these archives in PDF form at www.modot.org/historicmaps. They are printable but we scanned them at almost full size to maintain as much detail as we could. They won’t fit on 8 1/2 by 11 paper -- unless you want to print them in sections – so you may just want to view them on your computer screen. Either way, if you are a history buff or just interested in seeing what old Missouri road maps looked like, take a minute and check out these glimpses of our past. They show a changing picture of Missouri you just can’t get anywhere else.

Make the Right Call Super Bowl Sunday

It’s time for the the Super Bowl. Saints vs Colts. Brees vs Manning. It’s both the happiest day and the saddest day of the year for my husband. Happy because this is what the entire football season has came down to: the two best teams competing for the title. Sad because Super Bowl Sunday marks the end of football for the next six months.

Regardless, it’s a great day for friends to come together to cheer on their favorite team – or commercial. Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s largest and most entertaining sporting events; but it can also be one of the most dangerous days on the road, due to drinking and driving.

Whether you’re hosting a party or attending one somewhere else, be a responsible Super Bowl host by following these tips:
• Make sure everyone has a designated driver.
• Serve plenty of food and include soft drinks, juice and water.
• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game.
• Have the number of local cab companies at hand.
• Take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.
• Only serve alcohol to guests over 21 years of age.

Luckily I get to take the year off from being Super Bowl Host Extraordinaire and take in the festivities at a friend’s house. But even as a guest I need to remember to do my part:
• Designate my sober driver before the party begins (or in my case, volunteer to be the sober driver)
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast.
• Never let a friend get behind the wheel of their vehicle if they are impaired.
• Always buckle up – it’s the best defense against other impaired drivers.

Remember, Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. Make the right call and ensure everyone will Arrive Alive from this year’s Super Bowl.

Missouri Captures Millions for High-speed Rail Projects

With the recent addition of a new rail siding at California, Mo., riders of Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner have already been rewarded with much improved on-time performance, but there’s more good news. Missouri captured $31 million in recovery act funds for several high-speed rail projects that will support good jobs and keep the momentum building toward a faster and even more reliable passenger and freight train service.

The recovery act funding will be used for three shovel-ready projects:
• a second rail bridge over the Osage River;
• a universal crossover near the Kirkwood Amtrak station; and
• safety improvements at several rail crossings, primarily west of Sedalia.

It will also fund preliminary engineering on six future improvement projects worth approximately $100 million, including double tracks between Lee’s Summit and Pleasant Hill, a passing siding at Kingsville, a grade separation at Strasburg, a passing siding extension at Knob Noster and universal crossovers – a device that allows trains to crossover to another track in either direction – at Bonnots Mill and Hermann.

Missouri’s success was part of the larger Midwest Regional Rail Initiative’s effort that, as a whole, captured $2.6 billion of the $8 billion in recovery act funds available for high-speed rail corridor improvements.

Tall, Orange and Handsome

Hold onto that steering wheel.

This week, a tall, orange and handsome stranger arrived in Kansas City. Known as Barrel Bob, he began his job this week as a fixture on the kcICON Project, reminding motorists to slow down and take it easy in a work zone.

Barrel Bob won't be a stranger for long -- he has a debut appearance in a PSA about driving safely in the kcICON Corridor. Don't miss it.
Who's behind those barrels? He's the creation of Robert Ohl, a Clarkson Construction employee. Barrel Bob took about 10 hours to build and comes in standard safety gear.

Safe Driving – A Guide to Teaching the New Driver

I’ve had two teens enter the driving arena in the past two years, and I’d like to say I was calm, cool and collected throughout. But lightening would strike. When you take a turn on two wheels or get close enough to the car in front of you to read the fineprint on its bumper sticker, it’s hard to be emotionally level-headed. My son constantly groans, “Mom, I do a fine job when you’re not in the car!” Hmmm . . .

So instead, I’ve turned to the experts at the Department of Revenue to find some sage advice on how to teach a teen to drive. First, they recommend that parents and teens develop an agreement so everyone is clear about the family driving rules and expectations. You can find a sample form on their Web site or you can create your own. What a nifty idea! I wish I would have thought of it.

The revenue department also offers a booklet titled Safe Driving – Guide to Teaching the New Driver. I highly recommend it as a must-read for those with new drivers. Again, I wish I would have thought of it. But I didn’t, so here are my own personal tips, which, while not eloquent, do come from personal experience and may help ease the tension when driving with a teen:
• Set a good example and practice what you preach – speeding, road rage and other bad habits can be learned practices.
• Don’t yell or nag – it’s tempting, but it only makes things worse.
• Be patient – every new task has a learning curve, and this is one that can’t be taken lightly.
• Don’t overload your driver with facts and tips – make comments sparingly and when appropriate or your remarks could be distracting.
• Be positive – compliment your teen on driving the speed limit, signaling in a timely manner, looking both ways before proceeding, etc. Praise works better than criticism.
• Encourage young drivers to speak up for what is safe and right – peer pressure can lead to trouble when teens are behind the wheel.

If nothing else, you can always resort to putting one of those “Student Driver” signs on your vehicle. That will explain everything.

Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

Making a difference in the world usually begins with figuring out how to do it. Often it is not some grand action that can bring change, but a subtle adjustment of our habits and lifestyles. Sometimes the smallest gesture can steer us toward world-changing decisions -- especially if millions of us share that gesture.
 By visiting www.modot.org/Multimodal/CarbonFootprint.htm, visitors to MoDOT’s Web site can get a snapshot of how big an imprint they’re leaving on the planet. They’ll also be connected with links to Missouri’s multimodal options to help them shrink that imprint.

The impact we have on the environment can be measured, especially when it comes to our choices in transportation. Often we make these choices based on convenience or even habit. It’s not that we don’t care what impact we have on the Earth is, it’s just we don’t have time to think about it.
To help people see what effect their transportation choices have on our environment, MoDOT has connected with the Federal Transportation Administration’s "Carbon Footprint Calculator. "

Every journey begins with a single step….so pick a warm and sunny day and walk to work or the store or school when you can. You’ll leave the kind of footprints the Earth can live with.

You Know You're In Missouri When...

"People tell me they know when they drive into Missouri because the roads get better. They used to tell me it was because the roads got worse." -- MoDOT Director Pete Rahn

It wasn't that long ago that less than half of Missouri's highways were considered in good condition. But in the last six years, that number has steadily increased. Now, when you hit the highways in Missouri, you'll find 86 percent of the state's busiest roads in good condition.

Funding from Amendment 3 certainly made a difference. It helped MoDOT make 2,200 miles of the state's most heavily traveled roads smoother and safer, and accelerate or begin projects that were years down the road. Another factor is the Better Roads, Brighter Future program, where hundreds of miles are getting a facelift -- smoother surfaces, wider stripes, brighter signs and paved shoulders.

It may be difficult in the future to keep this up, as dramatic funding decreases loom. But today, it's evident that six years of hard work are truly paying off for Missouri drivers.

Highways Honoring Heroes

The first "Heroes Way" memorial sign to be erected in Missouri under a law passed last year by the Missouri legislature went up this week in St. Louis. The law allows interchanges to be named after service members killed in Iraq or Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Cave Springs (Exit 225), the sign honors Marine Lance Cpl. Drew Weavers, a St. Charles County native. Weavers was killed Feb. 21, 2008, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

It's a small tribute when compared with the price paid by those who have given their lives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, highway signs honoring those men and women are a constant and visible reminder of the sacrifices made to preserve our freedom.

How Low Can We Go?

In 1950, it cost 20 cents for a gallon of gas. Today, of course, it's a bit more.

But in some ways, we've got the '50s beat. Missourians are driving five times more miles, and the number of registered vehicles has quadrupled. More importantly, this past year, Missouri highway fatalities were at their lowest point since 1950. For the fourth year in a row, Missouri has reduced its highway fatalities, largely due to the efforts of highway safety advocates in the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

With combined efforts of law enforcement, education, emergency medical services and engineering, amazing things can happen.

Coalition members announced today in press conferences across the state that fatality numbers are dropping. The video below includes comments from Missouri State Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel James F. Keathley and MoDOT Traffic Safety Engineer John Miller.

Still, there is more work to be done. The coalition continues to promote the top strategy to save lives on Missouri roads -- strengthening Missouri's seat belt law to allow for primary enforcement. This would save more than 60 lives each year in Missouri, and that's hard to beat.

You Text. You're Next.

Texting, talking, eating –we’re all guilty of some sort of driver distraction. But what we might not realize is the deadly consequences our bad driving habits can have. Distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic crashes in Missouri. In 2008 alone, cell phone use was attributed as the cause of 1,788 Missouri traffic crashes.

Last year Missouri made a small step in curbing some of that distracted driving by passing a law prohibiting drivers 21 and under from texting. Five bills have already been filed this year in the Missouri legislature that would expand the texting ban to all drivers.

Yesterday Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood unveiled the first survivor-powered national organization dedicated to putting an end to distracted driving. The group, FocusDriven, grew out of last year’s distracted driving summit sponsored by the US Department of Transportation in Washington. Secretary LaHood also unveiled the 30-second public service announcement below.

Missouri will be launching its own anti-texting while driving campaign next month with new radio spots to raise awareness of the consequences of texting while driving. Those texting spots can be previewed here.

Avoid distractions while driving. Keep your eyes on the road and Arrive Alive.