Not Your Father's Oldsmobile

Today's Wall Street Journal included an article about cars that have touchscreen technology, Internet access and Twitter functionality built in.

It's interesting how quickly we've gone from, "No, he's on his way to Springfield. I'll call that office and ask them to give him a note to call you." to folks scheduling conference calls during drive time and parents texting kids from parking lots.

Having phone and computer access on the road makes handling work and family business more efficient. The safety aspects continue to be debated.

What do you think?

Digging for a Story

When I first started at MoDOT, I was surprised to hear someone say they’d spoken with “one of our archaeologists”.

What?

MoDOT is about highways and bridges, airports and barges, bikes, walkers, transit and the like. What was this nonsense about archeologists on staff?

I soon learned that historical research is a vital part of receiving federal funding and permits for construction and building projects. Funds aren’t approved until MoDOT proves it complies with the National Historic Preservation Act.

Tim Porter and Brianne Greenwood work in MoDOT’s Historic Preservation unit. You can think of them as cold-case detectives. They piece together the stories of people and activities from prehistoric times to near-current day periods.

Last week, we found Tim processing artifacts excavated in St. Louis prior to the start of the earthwork for a new Interstate 70 Mississippi River bridge.



The excavated areas were formerly residential, commercial and industrial in nature. Evidence of foundries, factories, homes and parks was uncovered. Some artifacts, like the bottle and china doll pictured here, were brought back to the office for further study.

Piece by piece, Tim and his colleagues are telling the story of those who lived and worked in the area during the 1800s and early 1900s. Find some of those stories here: http://www.modot.org/ehp/sites/NewMissRiverProject.htm

Brianne is helping to process artifacts recovered from two sites near the 80-year old North River Bridge west of Palmyra.

The bridge, located on Route 168, is to be replaced this spring. Because it and the nearby archaeological sites are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, data must be collected before construction could start.


Excavations at a site southeast of the old bridge believed to be dated 3000 to 1000 B.C. – known as the Late Archaic period – yielded evidence of people considered to be hunters and gatherers who did not raise crops.

A more recent encampment site located north of Route 168 dated between 500 and 850 A.D. Here, evidence was found of groups of people living in structures much like wigwams, indicating they did not move around as much.

Learn more about the work near the North River Bridge here: http://www.modot.org/northeast/virtualmeetingcomments.htm

Many thanks to Tana Akright for her contributions to this blog post.

Instilling Skills

Aaron Cox instructs MoDOT’s construction and maintenance employees on the finer points of their jobs. He takes care of workers when they are new on the job and when it’s time to review and renew their skills.




Lately, he’s had every five-year old boy’s dream job – crawling around big dump trucks while instructing the folks who drive them for MoDOT on how to conduct a thorough pre-trip inspection.

Inspections help identify defects before they become problems.

Just like commercial truck drivers, our folks check headlamps, signals, tires, mechanical and braking systems and such for anything that’s not just right before and after every trip. Aaron reminds employees to monitor the performance and handling of the truck on the road, too.




If they find a hint of a problem, mechanics can take care of it before it becomes expensive to repair or, more importantly, before it results in a crash.

He knows that by keeping our vehicles in good shape, our workers can help folks that share the highways with our big yellow trucks to ARRIVE ALIVE.

The little boy that lives inside Aaron thinks that’s way cool.

Tweets from the Passenger Seat

This morning, MoDOT Customer Relations Manager Marisa Ellison hopped in the passenger seat of one of our snowplows and gave a running commentary of what she saw in the Hannibal area via Twitter. Here's her account:

Snow plowing is serious business, so when I mentioned to Maintenance Superintendent Butch Mundle I wanted to tweet from a snow plow, he humored me.

Jamie Gottman was my capable snow “chauffeur,” and we took out onto US 61 north of Palmyra January 12 at 7 a.m. Snow was flying, wind blowing, and it was downright cold. Not in the plow, though. I could safely “tweet” the experience in a comfortable, heated setting while listening to country music on the radio. I tried not to distract Jamie; he was excellent at paying attention - and you have to be in a snow plow. I tweeted “there are several controls used in the cab, such as one for the gears, one for the blade, and one for the wing plow.” I forgot to mention the spreader control panel on the dashboard that distributes salt and other chemicals from the bed of the dumptruck. Jamie never missed a beat, or an intersection, or a shoulder.

We saw several accidents, which wasn’t surprising considering it was the first time many drivers had been in snow this year. I tweeted about one accident, which had traffic backed up, then tweeted about the next accident right up the road. Emergency responders had their work cut out for them in the frigid temps. But so did Jamie. Because the crashes caused traffic to stop, the unused lanes ahead were quickly covered by snow. Then it started snowing harder. Jamie made quick work of those flakes.


Soon, he asked if I was ready to go back to the office, and I was. Tweeting for two hours could have been challenging, yet Jamie and our surroundings kept it interesting. MoDOT's regional and statewide Twitter accounts pick up dozens of new followers with each winter weather event and this morning was no exception. I hope our followers found the tweets from a snowplow as educational as I did.

Masters of the Elements

It was made apparent to me in my high school days that a career in chemistry was far beyond my reach. I’m thankful I had that epiphany before any real damage was done to the school or my classmates.

Yet I’ve always been fascinated by the folks that understand the functioning of the elements. This week, John Bell and Tracy Adams, two of MoDOT’s senior chemists were hard at work, coaxing chemicals to provide answers we need to build the best possible transportation system.

John worked on an emulsion distillation. Yes. John has a still…at work. Only this still removes water from an asphalt emulsion so he can test the properties of the asphalt residue that remains. It’s got to meet stringent requirements to be accepted for use in road building and maintenance. By the way, he does not recommend drinking the results of the distillation. Ewww.




Tracy used three solutions to calibrate the pH meter before testing rock samples submitted as potential backfill material on an upcoming project. Her testing would reveal whether the acidity/basic level of the minerals in the rock will interact well with all of the other materials used on the project. Yes, road building needs to be that scientific – if you want highways, runways and other structures to last.

It’s always interesting to peek around the corner and see who does what at MoDOT. What wonder will we find next? Check back to find out!

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 

KCS's Holiday Express Will Deliver Santa

You better watch out; you better not cry. You better not pout, I’m tellin’ you why. Santa Claus is coming to town … but it won’t be by sleigh! Instead of freight, the Kansas City Southern Railway Company’s Holiday Express train will deliver special passengers from the North Pole instead to a handful of Missouri communities this month.

KCS’s 11th Annual Holiday Express train will bring Santa Claus and his elves to seven Missouri communities. Access to the Holiday Express train is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

In addition to jolly old St. Nicholas, the festive train will also bring holiday cheer in another very special way to the communities at large. Gift cards will be donated to each local Salvation Army through the KCS Charitable Fund, providing warm clothing and other necessities to children in need. For more information, go to www.kcsouthern.com.

Missouri stops include Joplin, Slater, Mexico, Kansas City, Grain Valley, Higginsville and Blue Springs between December 9 and 21, see schedule.

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.

Still, Buckle Up

An article in the New York Times last Friday talks about new safety standards under discussion for vehicles that would help keep unbelted passengers from flying out of side windows. Car manufacturers would have to add additional or larger airbags to the side windows by 2017, costing approximately $31 per vehicle.

I appreciate the use of every technology available to make vehicles as safe as possible. Traffic statistics prove that ejection from a vehicle is far more likely to cause death or a very serious injury, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that these standards would save nearly 400 lives each year. Certainly, that's a good thing.

One worry, though -- will it make people feel too safe? Will they think that buckling up doesn't matter?

What do you think? Would this technology make you feel like seat belts aren't as necessary?

We hope that no matter what vehicle you're in and what standards are adopted, you'll take the three seconds to ensure you remain safely in place.

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

Plan B: Come as You Are

A new impaired driving logo and slogan warns of the consequences of impaired driving.

On a chilly fall evening, I sat behind the wheel of my car in the parking lot of the college hangout.

“Hey! There you are! Get out! Come in!” slurred my friend. “We found someone we want you to meet. We’ve told him all about you!”

“No, thanks,” I said. “Where’s your roommate? Get in the car.”

“But you have to come in! He’s soooooo cute!”

“No.”

After an exchange reminiscent of a debate between three-year olds, I decided to pull my ace. Opening my jacket, I gave my friend a quick glimpse of my warm pajamas.

“Get. In. The. Car.” I demanded, as I saw the roommate approach.

The two poured themselves in the backseat in a fit of giggles.

“I can’t believe you came to pick us up in your jammies!” one declared. “What if you got pulled over?”

“I’d explain that I was on my way to pick up two friends who were too drunk to drive … but who are smart enough to call for a ride,” I said.

“We love you!” they sang.

“You should.”

It wasn’t the first time I was a “Plan B” driver and it certainly wasn’t the last. I’ve been the passenger, too.

It’s part of a long-standing pact with friends and family – if you don’t have a completely sober driver or if the cold medicine you took at work makes you woozy, start dialing. We’ve all promised to come right away, whenever called. A safe way home is that important.

If more people did that, some of the 217 people who died in Missouri last year because an impaired person decided to drive would still be here. None of us want anyone to go through the legal horror of a driving under the influence conviction. None of us want to be the cause of another family’s grief.

This holiday season, law enforcement will be out in full force Dec. 5-12, cracking down on drivers who are impaired. For your celebrations, make a plan of your own that includes a designated driver, alternate transportation or a safe place to stay.

I still get an earful about the pajamas all these years later. That kind of grief my friends are happy to inflict.

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.