Creative Kids With a Message

Children across Central Missouri got out their art supplies last month to help spread the message to Buckle Up and Arrive Alive.

The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety's Central Region asked children to download a "Buckle Bear" coloring sheet and turn it into a work of art. Almost 200 children sent in their creative works, which were displayed at the Missouri State Capitol Building last week.

If you missed them, keep an eye out - the coalition plans to display them at other locations throughout the central region this summer.

A Better Way to Stay Informed

The latest news in Missouri transportation is easier to access than ever before!

MoDOT's newsroom has been recently redesigned and we think you're going to be impressed by the result. You can quickly and easily watch, read, listen or look at the latest transportation information that affects you.

Up-to-date information includes:

• A video library updated regularly that brings you the most recent MoDOT news stories, PSAs and educational pieces
• Revolving pictures that let you access our Flickr photostream site
• Easy access to all news releases sent statewide or from each district office
• Weekly podcasts from MoDOT Interim Director Kevin Keith
• Quick access to all of our social networking sites

Visit http://www.modot.org/ and look for the Newsroom link in the right-hand column.

A Celebrated Beginning

Yesterday was a big day for bicyclists and pedestrians in central Missouri, and for tourists across the state.

The groundbreaking began for a new Missouri River Bridge attachment that will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the Missouri River on the U.S. 54 eastbound/U.S. 63 northbound bridge, providing easier access to the popular Katy Trail from Jefferson City. This year marks the 20th anniversary for the 225-mile trail crossing the state from St. Charles to Clinton.

The bridge will now be safer for everyone, and will help promote the economy in Jefferson City. Those using the Katy Trail will be more likely to cross the river to enjoy the views and visit the state capital.

The new attachment will be eight feet wide and include two look out points with a view of the Missouri State Capitol Building. A ramp structure will be constructed on the north side of the river to allow access to the katy Trail via the Missouri Department of Conservation public fishing area. The project should take about one year to complete, so mark your calendars for a visit next summer.

Catch a Train, Catch a Game!

Who doesn't love trains and baseball? Sit back, relax and let an American icon take you to enjoy America's favorite pastime.

Amtrak, MoDOT and the Missouri Division of Tourism are partnering to celebrate National Train Day (May 8, 2010) and National Travel and Tourism Week (May 8 - 16, 2010) with the "Catch a Train, Catch a Game" Sweepstakes. Two grand prize winners will be selected, one for a St. Louis Cardinals prize package and one for a Kansas City Royals prize package.

The sweepstakes is open to all U.S. residents 18 years of age or older. No purchase is necessary to win. Enter to win online at http://www.morail.org/ between May 8 and June 8.

Whether you wear a red or a blue hat to the game, we think you'll have a great trip.

May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month

Traffic crashes continue to be the #1 cause of death and injuries for teens in the United States. National Youth Safety Month is held each May by the National Organization for Youth Safety to help spread traffic safety awareness in an effort to change this startling statistic.

In Missouri, one in four Missouri traffic crashes involves a young driver. Between 2007 and 2009, 304 teens (15-19) were killed in traffic crashes. And although there are many reasons for crashes, our biggest concerns for teen motorists are texting and driving, and their failure to wear seat belts.

Last year, Missouri passed a law prohibiting drivers 21 and under from texting, along with a $200 fine if caught. Distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic crashes in Missouri and nationwide and 28 percent of all crashes a year on U.S. highways are caused by drivers using cell phones.

Under Missouri’s Graduated Drivers License Law, seat belt use is required for young drivers. Yet 40 percent of Missouri teens don’t buckle up. You can remind a teen to buckle up by sharing these top 10 reasons for buckling up:
1. I just don’t like the taste of glass.
2. I don’t have a license to fly, yet!
3. I can see the road fine from inside my car.
4. It takes less time to buckle than text message.
5. Road rash isn’t attractive.
6. My head won’t fit in the CD player.
7. It’s not cool to be stone cold dead.
8. My friends won’t look good without me.
9. Wrinkled clothes are better than blood stains!
10. Would a casket be more comfortable?

The Missouri Coalition continues to sponsor various teen programs to help promote highway safety, but we need everyone’s help. You can get more information and send an electronic postcard reminding a teen to buckle up at www.savemolives.com/play/postcard.htm. And please if you know a teen – encourage them to buckle up and put their phone down. Let’s work together to ensure all Missouri teens Arrive Alive.

Tell Us What You Think -- Your Thoughts are Worth a Million!

Have you ever said to yourself, "If I had a million dollars, I would (fill in the blank)"??? The answer is probably, yes, but I'd be willing to bet that if you got your million you wouldn't spend it on building and maintaining the state's roads and bridges. Right?! So that's why we do it for you. Transportation projects are very expensive, and it takes lots of millions to make our state's transportation system as safe and efficient as possible.

Once a year, MoDOT formally sets out a five-year construction program tellling you what you're getting for your money. It's this time of year now, so a formal comment period is under way -- May 5 through June 4. This is a chance to share your thoughts about the kind of transportation system you want in Missouri. The construction program you'll see is a mixture of public input, engineering expertise and money that's available.

You can offer comments at any time throughout the year, so keep the contact information below handy, and if you think of something later while day-dreaming about roads and bridges and other modes of transportation, MoDOT would like to have your input. We have to think ahead quite a few years as it can take some time to plan and build the transportation projects, but it's never too soon to get involved and help make a difference in the future.

Please tell us what you think -- your thoughts are worth a million and sometimes even a billion or so!

MoDOT Customer Service
1-888-ASKMODOT

Twitter
http://twitter.com/modot

Facebook
http://www.modot.mo.gov/facebook/index.htm

Motorcycle Fatalities Decline in 2009

Motorcycle Safety Month is being ushered in with good news for the first time in more than a decade: motorcycle fatalities declined dramatically in 2009 in Missouri and nationwide.

Last year Missouri saw a 21.5 percent decrease in motorcycle fatalities while nationwide fatalities have declined by at least 10 percent.

In an effort to continue this decrease, Missouri is joining with federal, state and local highway safety, law enforcement and motorcycle organizations in proclaiming May 2010 as motorcycle safety awareness month.

As the weather improves, more and more motorcyclists are hitting the roads. Drivers of all vehicles need to be extra attentive and make sure you share the road and everyone Arrives Alive.

In 2009, 85 people were killed in motorcycle crashes. Ten percent of Missouri’s 2009 fatalities involved a motorcycle, and 99 percent of the people who died in crashes involving a motorcycle on Missouri roads were the motorcyclist.

Watch out for motorcycles. They can be small and hard to see. Riders, do you part and wear a helmet and reflective gear. Look. Learn. Arrive Alive.

For more information about motorcycle safety, visit www.savemolives.com/ or the Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program website at www.mmsp.org/.

Get in the Loop! Sign up for E-updates

MoDOT wants you to know what’s going on. We send out press releases, update web pages, print pamphlets and make public appearances to make sure you’re in the loop. The better informed you are, the better we can serve you.
That’s why we created E-updates.
E-updates is an e-mail subscription services that lets you stay in touch with MoDOT locally and statewide. You can subscribe to project information, public announcements, press releases, job openings and even road condition warnings. Want to know how a project will affect traffic during your morning commute? Put a check in the box, we’ll tell you.
The system allows a variety of subscription options. You can subscribe by district, county, route or even by project. Whenever an announcement goes out under your subscriptions, you’ll be one of the first to know.

And if you feel like you’re getting too many announcements, just log on, change your subscription or even delete it if you feel like the service isn’t for you.
E-updates is a tool that empowers you to choose the information you want to know. Get in the loop! Subscribe to E-updates today!

Make Your Car a No Phone Zone

Look in your phone at the last call or text message you received. Is that call or text worth your life?

Take a stand against distracted driving on Friday, April 30 and declare your car a “No Phone Zone.”

A national effort to honor victims of distracted driving, “No Phone Zone Day” will educate and activate Americans to end the deadly driving habits that kill nearly 6,000 Americans a year, according to the National Highway Safety Administration.

Missouri passed a law last year prohibiting drivers 21 and under from texting. The Missouri Legislature is currently looking at expanding the law to all drivers.

All states are asked to take the “No Phone Zone” pledge. By pledging, drivers agree to make their car a “No Phone Zone” and refrain from using their phone while driving, eliminating distractions from incoming calls, texts or e-mails. Go to www.oprah.com/nophonezone to pledge.

Put your phones away while driving. No call or text is worth your life.

For additional information on distracted driving, visit www.saveMOlives.com or http://www.distraction.gov/.

It's Spring Cleaning Time for MoDOT

It’s that time of year. People are spring cleaning and getting rid of things they no longer need or want, and MoDOT is no exception. This week, the department is selling 32 pieces of prime real estate no longer needed to run the state highway system. The parcels, which range in size from a quarter of an acre to 200 acres, will be conveyed by sealed bid or public auction. More information can be found at www.modot.org/realtyforsale.

Selling excess land enables the department to put more money into state highway projects. In fiscal year 2009, MoDOT sold 228 properties, generating more than $4.2 million for state highway improvements.

As an added bonus, the department’s Realty to Roads program is gaining national recognition as a property management model. The Federal Highway Administration has given the program its 2010 Excellence in Right of Way award in the Technical Specialties category.

Safety Net

Sometimes you just need something to catch you.

Like a safety net, median guard cable is making Missouri highways much safer. The steel wire ropes are credited with saving approximately 45 lives each year in the state. With more than 600 miles of cable along Missouri highways, the latest installation has begun on Route 63 between Columbia and Jefferson City.

The video below demonstrates how guard cable stops most vehicles from crossing a median. Check it out and see how guard cables prove their worth as a first line of defense.

MoDOT Doing Its Part to Take Care of the Environment

I was at Wal-Mart the other night and as I got back to my vehicle I found a huge pile of trash sitting in the parking lot next to my car. I guess the people next to us wanted a cleaner car and thought they’d just dump their trash out. Happy Earth Day everyone.

Fortunately, unlike the rude folks who dumped their trash out for others to clean up, MoDOT is quite progressive with everything we do to try to be conscientious about the environment. We recycle everything from paper to signs and all sorts of things in between. We host programs like Adopt-A-Highway and No MOre Trash! We also participate in events around the state when possible to educate people on our various programs and activities.

Today, along with several other state agencies, we participated in Earth Day at the Capitol. We had a large tent on the south lawn of the Capitol, and we handed out about 3,000 tree seedlings to the thousands of visitors who came through our booth. We also talked to folks about how they can get involved with our various programs and asked them to sign a pledge not to litter. We even had a few games to entertain and educate the younger visitors coming through.

The video below gives you a peek into our Earth Day fun. I encourage everyone to get out and try to make a difference. April is No More Trash! month and there’s still time for you to get out there and help clean up our state. Let’s all work together to make Missouri a more cleaner, beautiful place to live. And if you see someone dumping their trash out, speak up and let them know you don’t appreciate it – or at least get their license plate number and report them. No MOre Trash!

Batty for Earth Day

Here is a story I learned of from our Southwest District Office that just screeches to be told this Earth Day:

Once upon a time ... well, ok, in 2004, there was a cave in McDonald County that was becoming popular for curious people - a little too popular, really. The current residents of the cave, such as bats and salamanders, were struggling to survive due to frequent visits from humans. The cave also wasn't considered structurally sound for explorers.

MoDOT heeded the recommendation from the Missouri Department of Conservation to install a gate -- something to keep people out but allow the bats to come and go freely from their home. The gate also allows the natural stream inside to flow as it has for thousands of years.

"The Conservation Department suggested we use angled steel because bats use sonar to navigate their way," said Senior Biological Specialist Alan Leary. "Sound bounces off the angled steel and guides bats through the gate. Rebar, which isn't angled, would affect the sonar, causing the bats to harm themselves trying to get in or out of the gate. They would leave the cave, thus affecting the cave's ecosystem and environment."

Prior to the gate's installation, the highest number of bats reported in the cave was about 25, mostly the Eastern Pipestrelle.

Leary said there were also reports of salamander larvae in the cave that probably would not have lived to adulthood because of the human disturbances.

Here comes the happy ending: In January 2010, Leary visited the cave and saw more than 250 Eastern Pipestrelles and four adult Ozark blind salamanders, also known as grotto salamanders.

"MoDOT normally isn't popular with cavers and spelunkers," Leary said, "but I think installing the gate to save the cave and its animals has mended those relationships. And we always like to do positive things for the environment."

And they lived happily ever after. Happy Earth Day!

Working Together for Work Zone Safety

MoDOT and Missouri State Highway Patrol team up to keep work zones safe for everyone. Watch Trooper Kyle Green as he stops motorists that have been speeding in a work zone.

Working together, MoDOT and the MSHP show you why it is so important to stay alert and pay attention while driving in a work zone.

What Have I Done?

Click Here to Watch Video

One second of inattention -- that all it takes. In a work zone, that may mean a hefty fine, but it can also be much worse. It can mean a tragedy that can't be replayed and can't be erased.

The video above reminds drivers why they shouldn't barrel through work zones. It features a motorist after he's been in a crash in a work zone. His ordinary commute home turns into a nightmare when he realizes that what he crashed into was a person.

Last year in Missouri, 13 people were killed in work zones, an increase from 2008 when 12 people were killed. During Work Zone Awareness Week this week, MoDOT will remind motorists of the need for safe driving in other ways, too -- you'll hear radio spots, see internet banner ads and see reminders on fuel pump tops at various gas stations.

The video makes you realize the tragedy that any one of us could cause in just a second.

Drive Smart. Arrive Alive.

Driver Arrested After Unbelted Passenger Dies in Work Zone Crash

A driver has been arrested for vehicular homicide because his unbelted passenger was killed in an early-morning traffic crash in a work zone Monday in the state of Washington. According to the Seattle Times, just after midnight Monday, the driver and his passenger were heading south on Interstate 5 when they crashed through several barrels in a work zone, and slammed into the back of a parked transportation department pickup. And although the driver was belted and he survived, he could pay with the rest of his life for allowing his passenger to ride unbelted.

This story hits close to home, because even though it took place in Washington and not Missouri, it touches on two traffic issues in our state that affect us all: work zones and seat belts. And this situation is especially poignant right now because April 19 kicks off work zone awareness week, which means you’ll be seeing orange barrels all over the state soon.

And unfortunately, crashes in work zones happen more than you may think. In fact, in 2009 there were almost 2,200 crashes in Missouri work zones. Thirteen people were killed in these crashes and another 670 injured. Between 2005 and 2009, 64 people were killed and 4,260 people were injured in Missouri work zones.

Although there are various reasons for work zone crashes like inattention, following too closely, improper lane usage/change, too fast for conditions and failure to yield – the main reason traffic fatalities are so high is because motorists don’t buckle up. In 2009, of the 878 total traffic fatalities, 693 were vehicle occupant fatalities and 67 percent of them were not wearing a seat belt.

I don’t let anyone ride in my vehicle unless they are buckled, period. And I pay attention and follow the signs in work zones. If we all remembered these few rules, we’d have fewer families mourning the loss of loved ones. So remember, Buckle up and Don’t Barrel Through Work Zones. Arrive Alive.

One Million and Counting...

Kansas City's Interstate 29/35 Bond Bridge Project On Time, On Budget

MoDOT Director Pete Rahn joined the kcIcon Project Community Advisory Group, Workforce Development Committee members, and the Paseo Corridor Constructors contractor team to speak last week about the fantastic record of the kcICON project.

One million design and construction man-hours have been logged to date.

The iconic 316-foot center pylon is complete, with eight of its 40 stay cables already in place. Another cool feature of this project coming up is a continuous 134-foot-wide bridge deck concrete pour -- that's the single widest in the history of MoDOT projects!

The kcICON project has supported jobs and economic growth for the city. Seventy minority, female and economically disadvantaged On-The-Job Trainees have contributed about 63,000 hours to the project, gaining valuable training for long-term careers in construction.

The $245 million project is 67 percent complete, keeping it on schedule for completion by July of next year. Check http://www.kcicon.com/ to keep up with the latest on this project. Add it as a favorite - you won't want to miss out on the many interesting features of this project.

On Track for Safety

We welcome Rail Safety Week April 11-17 in Missouri!

Reducing injuries and fatalities and increasing awareness of Rail Safety are two focus points during Rail Safety Week. Governor Jay Nixon and MoDOT are delivering the message to Stay Off, Stay Away and Stay Alive!

MoDOT, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, other law enforcement, and Operation Lifesaver representatives will be in various locations during the week to educate the public and promote safety at highway-rail crossings. This positive enforcement outreach is to help reduce highway-rail crossings fatalities and injuries.

The video below shares some tips for how you can be safe around railroad tracks and at crossings:



MoDOT Director Pete Rahn has also made rail safety the subject of his podcast this week.

There are a few rules that can help eliminate tragedies on the tracks:
1. Never walk on railroad property.
2. Cross railroad tracks only at a designated crossing.
3. Never race a train to the crossing.
4. Get out if your vehicle stalls on or near the tracks, and then quickly move away from the tracks in the direction the train is coming from.
5. If you are at a multiple track crossing, watch out for a second train from either direction.
6. Never drive or walk around lowered railroad gates.

Want to know more?
USA Today article on Rail Road Safety
www.Facebook.com/MissouriRiverRunner
http://www.twitter.com/MoRiverRunner
http://www.morail.org/

Be Safe!

Stay Off, Stay Away and Stay Alive!

Yellow just isn’t my color, so I avoid wearing it at all costs. Today was an exception. I proudly donned a bright yellow safety vest for a very important cause – Rail Safety Week.

Standing about 75 feet from a highway-rail crossing, I was one of seven volunteers sharing railroad safety tips with motorists passing by Militia Drive and Algoa Road in Jefferson City. One passerby wisely stated, “Cars and trains don’t mix!” For another, the safety message hit home as he shared that he had known two people who had died in collisions with trains.

Fatalities at highway-rail crossings and on or around railroad property are senseless and can easily be avoided. Help us eliminate tragedies on the tracks. Stay Off, Stay Away and Stay Alive!

Paving a Better Way

Not too hot, not too cold... but just right. That's what many road paving crews and transportation officials think about a fairly-new road technology called warm-mix asphalt. I hadn't heard of the stuff until recently, and to be honest, I never aggressively investigated warm-mix asphalt either. What could have possibly changed in the asphalt world that would transform the way we think about paving roads?
I was quite impressed with what I found when I visited the latest warm-mix paving job in St. Louis. Turns out the asphalt world is spinning in a wonderful direction that lengthens a road’s life, helps the environment and saves money too.

When I arrived at the work site I immediately noticed the absence of pungent smells and odors created when paving work is traditionally done. Work zones involving asphalt are typically hot with thick emission-filled air ... this one wasn't. With warm-mix asphalt, the temperature needed for production is reduced by up to 100 degrees. With the decreased production temperature comes lower emissions from burning fuels, fumes, and odors generated at the plant and at the paving site.

I found out that using warm-mix asphalt helps extend the life of roads too. Lower temperatures during asphalt production allows for better pavement density, which determines the durability and strength of the road. Because warm-mix asphalt strengthens the pavement, it prevents water from seeping in – the main culprit for potholes!

MoDOT used about 500,000 tons of warm-mix asphalt on Missouri highways in 2009, which is about 13 percent of the total amount of asphalt used. I'm told these numbers will increase dramatically in the next five years. I hope so. Saving money and our environment, while keeping roads stronger for longer, just makes sense.