Work Zone Safety - Why It's a Big Deal

April 15-19 is Work Zone Awareness Week for 2013.

We tend to think EVERY week is Work Zone Awareness Week at MoDOT. Just like everyone else, we want to get home safe at the end of our workday. We'll do whatever it takes to help make that happen.

In our work, we see too many times what happens when someone behaves in an unsafe manner. We've been called to thousands of crash scenes to help direct traffic while emergency crews and law enforcement assist injured motorists.

We've been the first to respond when a car or truck slams into one of our dump trucks. We've called 911 or *55 when an inattentive driver plows into the back of someone observing a slower work zone speed limit. We've held the hands of our dying coworkers and promised to relay their messages of love to their spouses and families.

That's why it's a big deal.

Now that you know the impact of unsafe behavior, we hope you make safe driving in work zones - and everywhere else - a big deal.

In His Own Words: Help Us Make it Home

Clifton Scott's story is riveting. 

Clifton worked for MoDOT a long time, starting with our highway crews. He was very upset by a work zone crash that occurred in 2001 and in an interview with KMBC TV- 9 of Kansas City, he issued a plea to motorists.

Last fall, as he worked the scene of a crash as a Motorist Assist operator, a speeding driver struck and killed Clifton. 

His haunting words serve as a reminder. 

When you see a highway worker - or a utility crew member, law enforcement, tow truck operators or anyone else rendering service on or near a road - pay extra attention. Take extra care. 

Do it out of kindness. Do it because you respect their service. Do it because you know that they, like you, just want to make it home.

Anita's Close Call Story - That Little Voice

Anita of Springfield, Mo., asked to share her story. It sounds familiar to many of us who have struggled with the temptation to multi-task while driving. If you have a story about transportation that you would like to share, please contact us at socialmedia@modot.mo.gov.

It was a typical Tuesday; the work day is over and like a lot of families it’s time to hustle the kids to evening activities. I pick up my son around 5:30 pm and head to the high school. He wants to go to the game. I need to pick my daughter up at 6:00 pm from dance class so the timing is just right. After dropping him off at the game it’s onto dance. Taking Battlefield Road to Highway 65 seems to be the logical route so that’s the direction I choose. Lots of traffic, stop and go, it’s evening rush hour. Bummer, this is going to take awhile.

To pass the time I decide to make a call. I’ll just maneuver through traffic while chatting, something I do often, and the 10 minute drive to dance class won’t seem so daunting. I grab my phone. But as I’m turning onto the exit ramp, a little voice in my head suggests I probably should pay attention to what I’m doing. It’s not like I had anything earth shattering to discuss, so I toss the phone down onto the passenger seat.

I merge onto Highway 65, within seconds traffic is up to full speed. Bumper to bumper, vehicles switching lanes, you know the drill. I’m staying in the right lane as I’ll be exiting shortly onto James River Freeway. Like most people behind the wheel at this time my mind is reviewing the day’s events and calculating what’s left to do.

I glance ahead and notice the car in front of me is breaking, so I tap mine too but quickly let off in order to keep the pace. A fraction of a second passes, I glance again and realize the car isn’t breaking; it’s at a dead stop. Moving at nearly 65 mph, I slam on my breaks. The car in front of me juts out to the right shoulder just in time to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of it and to avoid being hit by me. My view instantly shifts to the rear view mirror, and in the next second I notice a pickup truck behind me and hear its screeching breaks. The truck swerves to the right shoulder to avoid impact and I manage to come to a jolting stop with only inches to spare. After breathing a quick sigh of relief I then see a huge truck barreling toward me... I close my eyes and brace for impact.

In these few seconds of shear panic, the all-important moments of my life, my family, my kids, all of it really did flash before my eyes. I couldn’t believe this is how it was all going to end. Was I ready?

No impact. My eyes open and see that the truck has stopped. I exhale, and begin to slowly move forward. About half a dozen car lengths ahead I see what’s caused this near miss. It’s a plastic chair partially blocking the right hand lane. I’m disturbed that this little plastic chair almost caused a terrible accident. I exit onto James River Freeway and say a few thank-you prayers.

Suddenly, it becomes clear to me the message this close call had truly intended. The plastic chair hadn’t almost caused the accident. It wasn’t about the chair at all.
If I had made the choice to make that call seconds earlier, I would have been distracted; I would not have been able to stop. If anyone involved would have been talking, texting or updating their social media status, they would have not been able to stop. This accident was avoided simply because I listened to the voice that whispered to me, "Pay attention."

Using our phones while driving is manageable, right? Accidents won’t happen to us, we’re good drivers, right? Wrong. Distracted driving can cause serious accidents, injuries, and death. It happens every day.

I encourage you to give merit to the little voice you hear and think twice the next time it nudges you, as mine did. Doing so could very possibly could save your life and the lives of others.

Anita

Car Seats are Like Milk

“Would you smell this milk and tell me whether you think it is still good? It expired three days ago.”

Uh. If you have to ask, maybe it’s best to throw it out. Better safe than sick, right?

When it comes to food, those kinds of decisions aren’t difficult. But did you know that car seats have expiration dates, too?

This week, Sept. 16-22 is National Child Passenger Safety Week.

According to Jackie Spainhower, the Northwest Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety Regional coordinator, they sure do. 

Find car seat and booster information at
www.savemolives.org/child-passengers.html

"Many parents don't realize that using an expired car seat can compromise their child's safety," Spainhower said. "Unless you have specific directions from the manufacturer, the car seat label or the manual that state otherwise, you should stop using a car seat after six years. Expired car seats should be destroyed so no one uses the seat thinking it's still safe."

Car seats have a rough life. The materials in them expand when temperatures inside vehicles soar well above 120 degrees in the sun and way down below freezing in the winter. They take a pounding from little bouncing bottoms – and excited, jumping feet – and are schlepped none too gently from vehicle to vehicle. Hairline cracks can form - too tiny for most to see - yet they can compromise the seat and cause it to perform poorly during a crash.

Good thing there are helpful Missourians who are certified to check car seats. They want you to know they’re happy to take a look at your car seat, get it installed correctly – about 80 percent of seats need at least some kind of adjustment – and answer your questions about the best seating for infants, toddlers and junior backseat drivers.

Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Inspection Station locator to find certified experts near you -  www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm . Almost all perform the service free of charge.

They will not, however, sniff the contents of that bottle you found under the passenger seat.

Protecting Shoes...and Bridges

This blog was written by Travis Ellis of MoDOT's Northwest District office.

Everything is more expensive these days, and the need to prolong our items is becoming even more important. Many of you take the time to polish or "seal" your favorite, or most expensive pairs of shoes before the onset of winter. You do this to keep what is inside dry, and to make the shoes last longer, just like the Missouri Department of Transportation does with its bridges.


"We seal our bridges for the same reason folks seal their shoes," says District Maintenance and Traffic Engineer Marty Liles. "Whether you are weather-proofing a pair of shoes, or a bridge, it protects them from the elements and makes them last longer."

In the coming weeks, motorists can expect to see discolored bridge decks, extra work zones and crews around many of Missouri's bridges.

As the sealant is applied, it fills cracks, even those too small for most people to see. That keeps water from seeping into the pavement. When water does manage to get through pavement, it expands when it freezes, causing the crack to grow larger, sometimes creating potholes.

Bridges are selected for sealing, or re-sealing, based on a number of factors. All new bridges are sealed prior to their first winter. After a bridge has been sealed the first time, existing bridges are scheduled for re-sealing on a rotating basis.

"We are taxpayers too, and we want to preserve and prolong our roads and bridges in the most cost-effective means as possible," says District Engineer Don Wichern. "Sealing a bridge deck prolongs the life of the bridge, thereby pushing back the day when it will have to be replaced. It's just another way we are trying to maintain our system for as long as possible with the funds available."

Last-Minute Reminders

If it weren't for Post-It notes, I wonder if I'd get anything done. I often write reminders to myself and then place the notes in logical spots...at least what I consider logical.

"Hair," says the note, stuck to my steering wheel, reminding me to run by the salon after work for a trim.

"Chicken," says the note on the door leading to my garage. It was supposed to remind me to get food out of the freezer for dinner. Whoops. I missed that one.

Good thing MoDOT has a more permanent reminder at the end of many of its parking lots. Right before I pull out, I see a reminder to buckle up.

Schools, businesses and other organizations can borrow the stencils to encourage visitors to buckle up and Arrive Alive.

The reusable stencils are available on a first-come, first-served basis from MoDOT's seven regional offices. Designs can be painted on concrete or asphalt surfaces in parking lots and driveways of schools and businesses. Those requesting the stencils must provide their own paint and manpower.

A reminder might just help improve traffic safety. As of September 9. traffic fatalities in Missouri are up 9 percent for the year, and 63 percent of those killed in traffic crashes this year were not wearing a seat belt.

For more information about the stencils or other highway safety resources available to help educate students about safe driving practices, call 1-888-275-6636 or log onto http://www.savemolives.com/.

Showing Our Respect

Many times in this blog, we tell you about MoDOT employees and the work they do. We hope you enjoy learning about what happens behind the scenes.

Recently, we received a note from a resident of Southeast Missouri. Instead of telling you what MoDOT employees do, it explains who they are.

I would like to thank the workers in Jackson, MO next to the park on Hwy 61. We were passing in a funeral prosession for a family member and the men working there stopped digging and removed their hard hats as we passed by. Having moved here from Dallas, let me tell you this kind of compassion and respect is not often given. Several of my family members noticed this as well. I commend these men for the actions, regardless how small, it was greatly appreciated by my family and I.

I am proud to work with thoughtful, caring people such as these.

What Part Don’t You Understand?

School is back in session and a hint of fall is in the air. With that comes those first few exciting weeks of school and, of course, big weekend plans. 

I grew up in a small rural town. As a teen we had our local buyer, you know, that guy in his mid twenties that still cruised by the high school during class time, ever so slowly to make sure that everyone knew he didn’t have to go to school. I don’t think he had a job either, but anyway, he was the town buyer.

Slip him enough for a six pack for himself and he’d buy you whatever you want.

Weekends were then spent in a field or on a dirt road drinking ourselves into a stupor on Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill, or whatever else we could afford. 

We never gave a thought as to how we would get home. Usually the one that drank the least would get behind the wheel.  We would take the back roads, coast the car down the hill to the house and park it, stagger indoors and pass out. We just didn’t think about a DWI or minor in possession, let alone a car crash, serious injuries or death.

It’s much different today. The word is out and everyone knows that drinking and driving is a deadly combination.

So let’s face it, you know the risk and you know the consequences.

Missouri has a Zero Tolerance Law. If you are under age 21, your license will be suspended if you’re caught driving with even a trace of alcohol in your system. If you cause a fatal crash while intoxicated, you can be charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony resulting in up to seven years of jail time, a $5,000 fine or both.

In 2011, 218 people died and 867 were seriously injured in crashes involving an impaired driver.  Missouri takes this seriously. What part of Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over don’t you understand?  ARRIVE ALIVE.

I'd like to buy a vowel

Have you ever noticed that there is no Route Q in Missouri? Nor is there a Route G or Route S. While it may seem like someone spilled their alphabet soup on a Missouri roadmap, the truth is that some letters are never used to name roads.

In fact, of the 26 letters of the alphabet, six of them are conspicuously absent from Missouri road signs. Here’s why.


G -- Can look like the number 6

I and L -- These letters look too much alike and also resemble the number 1

Q -- Too close to the letter O

S -- Looks like the number 8

X -- Film-rating designations have given this letter a bad rap

The letter R is used in special circumstances. You will not find an R used alone because they resemble the letter P. Usually it is combined with an A or a B for short state roads that go to a park or conservation area.

MoDOT occasionally receives questions concerning the choice of letters. Some people even asked if there are secret meanings behind double-lettered routes. As provoking as that may seem, the truth is somewhat less cryptic.

The lettered routes are part of the state’s supplementary system. These routes joined the Missouri system in 1952 when the state absorbed almost 12,000 miles of county-maintained roads. The letter designations came shortly after that.

The letters were assigned county-by-county. Starting with A, roads were named in coordination with adjacent counties so there would be a mix in the distribution. If the list of single letters ran dry, then double letters were used until all the county roads had a designation. The original designations have basically remained the same since then.

It’s Only 35 mph

“What possesses people to jump off a tower like that?”

Mr. Wonderful, my Olympics-obsessed husband, is amazed by the accomplishments of the athletes who’ve tumbled, swam, shot, rowed and otherwise flashed across our TV screen. He holds a special reverence for the divers.



AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

 We watched the teams of synchronized platform divers the other night.

Amazing.

It was as if the athletes shared a single nervous system. They approached in tandem, leapt in tandem, spun and twisted in tandem and entered the water together with just as much of a splash as Missouri has seen fall from the skies this summer.

As we gaped in wonder, one of the announcers remarked that the divers strike the water’s surface at 35 mph. Hmmm. That got me thinking.

People sometimes tell me they only use seat belts when they’re on the highway.

You know, because the slow speeds in town can’t really hurt you.

Here’s the thing - if your car is traveling at 35 mph and it strikes another object, everything in the car – groceries, gym bags, people – continues to move at 35 mph for a time…unless it is fastened to the vehicle’s safety cage. The cage crumples as it absorbs the energy of the crash…like the water absorbs the divers’ forward energy.

Would you jump from a 10 meter Olympic platform into an empty pool? It’s only 35 mph.

One Eye on the Cash, the Other on the Clock

Earlier in July, we learned that MoDOT earned top honors in the Mid-America Regional “America’s Transportation Awards” competition for two projects.

The first, kcICON, won as the large project in the "Ahead of Schedule" category. In addition to widening about five miles of Interstate 29/35 and rebuilding five interchanges, the Kansas City project included the new signature cable-stayed Christopher S. Bond Bridge across the Missouri River.

Construction began in April 2008 and – even with all of that work – was completed in December 2010, more than six months ahead of schedule.

On the other side of Missouri, the St. Louis area’s I-270 Dorsett-Page Project won as the medium project in the “Under Budget” category. Three projects were rolled into one, giant, congestion-relieving undertaking.

It was completed for $2.4 million less than the original $34.8 million budget – and was opened a month ahead of time to boot!

How does this happen? MoDOT and its contracting partners pay very close attention to detail and work as partners through the design and construction phases.

Communities also deserve credit for providing feedback during planning stages and for motorists’ patience and attentive driving during construction.

Working together, MoDOT, contractors and the people of Missouri are able to obtain maximum value from limited transportation dollars.

How do we compare to other states? We’ll get some indication in November when these winning projects compete with those from other regions for national honors at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ annual meeting.

There’s likely to be a People’s Choice component to the competition, so look for your chance to vote soon!

In Memory Of

Every class has its own crash story.  Whether it’s someone killed during high school or after, they will always be remembered as your classmate.  Not to specifically date myself here, but when I was in high school in the 80’s it seemed inevitable.  Every year you would know someone that died in an automobile crash.  It was accepted as something that just happened and took the lives of young and old every day.  It still robs lives, but we now know that, in most cases, it can be prevented.

I will never forget the date.  Although it’s been over 26 years now, I still recall the events of April 26, 1986.  My best friend and I were playing in an AAU basketball tournament in Farmington, Mo.  We arrived back in town late that evening only to be pulled over by other friends (no cell phones then), and advised that three of our classmates were in a traffic crash, with two of them dying and the third in critical condition.  As a small rural town the community gathered at a local church.  As teenagers we were asking “why”, as we mourned the critical condition and deaths of three outstanding student athletes, and children of our school and community leaders.  The impact of this accident is still felt by many to this date.  It’s something that we will never forget.

Little did I know that years later I would become a safety advocate, fighting to help reduce the serious injuries and fatalities on Missouri’s roadways.  Little did I know that I would be a parent that still remembered that April afternoon and prayed for my own teenager’s safety as I would watch him drive away with friends. 

Why do we wait until tragedy strikes to enforce the mandatory graduated driver license seat belt law on our own teenagers?  We ground them for not doing chores, coming home late, and terrorizing their younger siblings, but what are we doing to make sure their lives are safe on the road?  Why do teens wait until tragedy strikes to adhere to and reinforce this law to their peers?

Traffic crashes remain a leading cause of teen death. As a mom, that terrifies me. As a classmate, that frustrates me. As a safety advocate, that motivates me. Talk to teens - and anyone else you know who isn't a regular seat belt user. Buckling up costs nothing, but can save those who are most precious in the world.

Seven out of 10 Missourian’s killed in a 2011 traffic crash were unbuckled.  Buckle Up.  ARRIVE ALIVE!

Ten Plus Five Reasons You Should Be Riding the Missouri River Runner

We received a great comment about this two-year old post today and decided it called for an update.

So here are the original ten PLUS five new reasons you should ride the Missouri River Runner!

10. We work 7 days a week; Missouri River Runner operates 7 days a week and it is the coolest ride to the Missouri State Fair; the St. Louis Arch; KC BBQ! Matter of fact, tell us your Amtrak travel story on our facebook page (www.facebook.com/MissouriRiverRunner) and let us know if we can share it!

9. We sell the best traveling dogs in the state…hotdogs that is, you can eat and ride on our Missouri River Runner.

8. All your friends are doing it; Ridership is up, up up!

7. Amtrak’s Customer Service Index indicated that we are third in the nation on their customer service chart, so relax, rest assured we will get you there.

6. Can you say Day trip? You can easily travel with your friends on the Missouri River Runner with a day trip into Washington, Hermann, Warrensburg, Sedalia...!

5. We collect cans! For a program that helps Capitol City Habitat for Humanity and Amtrak build a home for the needy. Read our Press Release.

4. What a view of the Missouri River you’re going to have!

3. Riding Amtrak qualifies you as being "An Earth Air Pollution Avenger" because riding Amtrak will help save us all from air pollution. Wear your title well, hero.

2. You can get your work done while riding; internet hot spots and AC jacks are available in most trains...so unfortunately this will mean you will no longer have any excuse for not getting your work done while traveling for your boss, so now you will have to make up new ones. ;)

1. Be stress free, we will get you there on time! On-time performance is at an average of 92 percent for the year!

The Man Dawg added these five fabulous attractions to our list. Thanks, Man Dawg!

#11 Independence Mo-Santa Cali-Gon Days
http://www.independencechamber.org/events/annual-events/santa-cali-gon-days-festival.html

#12 Kansas City Airshow
http://www.chiff.com/articles/kansas-city-air-show.htm

#13 Warrensburg Mo-Wings Over Whiteman Airshow

#14 Hermann Mo- http://www.hermannmo.com/

#15 Sedalia Mo- Missouri State Fair
http://www.ticketmaster.com/Missouri-State-Fair-tickets-Sedalia/venue/49164#!

Scootch for Safety

That cheer you heard the afternoon of July 9 came from the 2,400 MoDOT employees who regularly work on Missouri highways.

Governor Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 611 into law. This law goes into effect August 28 and expands the 2002 “Slow Down and Move Over” statute that protects law enforcement and emergency response vehicles parked on the side of the road.

So come next month, motorists must slow down or change lanes when approaching MoDOT vehicles parked on the side of the highway with amber and white lights flashing – just like we drivers already do when there’s an ambulance, Patrol, police or sheriff’s car on the shoulder.




With the drastic drop in MoDOT’s construction budget, my coworkers are pretty much in a maintenance-only mode. It’s likely you’ll see more crews next to or on the road as they attempt to take care of Missouri’s existing system of highways and bridges, rather than building new lanes and structures.

Let’s do them a favor. The law takes effect in late August. How about we spend the next several weeks practicing?

When you see a MoDOT vehicle on the side of the highway, either change lanes or slow down. You’ll be doing your part to help hard-working folks get home in one piece.

And to those of you who have always moved over or slowed for MoDOT workers – or anyone on the shoulder – we noticed. We appreciate your concern for our safety and thank you.

A View from the Locomotive

My first job out of college was with a large freight railroad company. One of the best experiences I had was the week I was able to experience rail operations first hand.

I got to run a railroad.

Okay, it was only a 13-mile shortline that is wholly owned by my former employer. It was dinky. I didn’t care if it was 1,300 miles. I got to get up and run an engine!



A typical train hauls thousands
of tons of freight.



My companions and I jacked rail, replaced ties and pounded spikes. We coupled cars to the train and pulled them apart. We rode in the locomotive cab or we stood on the walkway of the engine as it hauled cars to local businesses. It was fabulous, filthy, hard work.

When it was my turn to sit at the controls of the small locomotive my adrenaline surged. It was only a 1,500 horsepower switch engine and weighed just a smidge over 100 tons. It was little for a locomotive, but it was the largest machine I ever hope to control.

We spent hours in the yard, practicing with the throttle, learning how much power to give in order to reach a specific spot. We controlled the location of the train exactly the way real engineers do - by manipulating the energy of the traction motors and understanding how the weight of the cars affect stopping distance.

So imagine how freaked out I was when cars crossed just yards ahead of us as we rode along on a trip out to the main line. I’d just spent the day watching a four-car train roll on at length after cutting the throttle – and occasionally stomping on a non-existent brake pedal.

My yells mixed with the train’s horn when we came across a family taking a stroll on the tracks.

“People!” I wanted to scream. “Don’t you have any sense? This train could crush you!”

I’d read many company reports about situations like this. They described people maimed and killed. Bodies mangled, pinched or struck into mist. And there wasn’t a thing I could do about the folks on the rail in front of me.

The crew of instructors noticed my horror.

“We see this every day,” they said. “People take chances like this all the time.” They don’t like to talk about the times it doesn’t end well – nightmarish incidents they were helpless to stop. When they do open up, train crews can describe every detail. They never forget the car or truck stalled on the track, the hunter who was trapped on a rail bridge, the teen listening to tunes as she walked between the rails. They don’t like to talk about it – but they do – hoping people will listen.

*** This is where I'd planned to end this blog post. Then I opened the newspaper. It's happened again. ***

In the past several weeks four Missouri teens have died in train incidents. In two separate incidents, young men did not hear the trains that killed them because their ears were filled with music and earbuds. Two young ladies perished when their car refused to start after they'd parked on the tracks at a crossing in order to spook themselves by playing out a local legend. Three tragedies and four lives ended.

Talk. Talk to teens. Talk to adults. Talk to anyone you know who walks on or around rail tracks.

Railroad tracks are not pedestrian paths. They are industrial, private property where large machines operate.
If you must cross them, cross them quickly.

Use your senses. Look for a train. Keep your ears clear so you can hear them approach. Don't ignore rumbles or vibrations.

Look. Listen. Live.

Hot Times

There's one thing on every Missourian's mind today - how to deal with the heat.

Many of MoDOT's employees work in all kinds of weather. Our maintenance folks are experts at staying hydrated and taking breaks when needed. One of them is very concerned for you.

Barrel Bob, Missouri's work-zone spokesbarrel wrote a little piece for our blog today. We hope you enjoy it.

Gracious, people! The last time I was this hot, I was being extruded into existence at the barrel factory! But I was designed to take these temperature extremes. I'm a bit worried about you.

Missouri's work-zone spokesbarrel, Barrel Bob,
tries to provide his own bit of shade as he urges
travelers of all stripes to take extra care in the heat

From my spot here on the side of the road, I'm seeing some folks who treated today as any normal day. They're learning it ain't when they run out of gas or deal a breakdown on the side of the highway. That's a bad deal anytime, but when the world is superheated, the misery is quadrupled!

Do me a favor. Check your car before you head out. Do you need to get gas?

How 'bout them tires? Should you stop and get air or get that slow leak fixed?

If you need to call for help, does your phone have enough juice?

When was the last time you checked the coolant?

What about coolant for your body? Stocking up with water is a good idea for all travelers - those in vehicles, motorcycles and you self-powered movers on bikes and on your feet.

These are the kind of days you learn the true condition of your vehicle. Just try not to learn it on the side of a steamy road!

Bridges Bounce



The wonderful thing about bridges,

Is bridges are flexible things.
The structure is made to move up and down,
Sometimes it feels they’re on springs.

Bill Emerson Bridge in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

My apologies to Tigger and his fans. I just couldn't help myself. 

The idea for the verse popped in my head one evening as I waited for a crash to be cleared from my lane on a Missouri River bridge. As cars and commercial trucks rumbled by, I felt a bounce that was a bit unnerving. It wasn't the first time I'd felt the bounce. It happens on any type of bridge - overpasses and elevated lanes included.

Luckily, several bridge experts work just a short elevator ride from my desk. They helped me to understand that bridges are designed with some flexibility built in. They’ve got to perform in temperature extremes – contracting and expanding with cold and heat – in still and windy conditions, and under differing weight loads.

That flexibility means there will always be some movement. In fact – the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is built to swing up to 27 feet mid-span in the unlikely event of a 100 mph broadside wind!



Setting the supports for the Miami Bridge.

It's hard to understand how something that looks so stable and solid could move up and down, but have you ever walked on a board laid across two supports? The further apart the supports are, the more vibration you feel as you walk across the board. This vibration, called resonance, also plays a part in bridge movement as vehicles move across a span.



Designers and engineers have to strike a careful balance of distances and supports, because a too-stiff bridge has its own issues.

If you are ever stopped on a span and become uneasy with the bouncing movement, maybe this will help - MoDOT's bridge inspection teams, who sometimes use a special truck to view the undersides of bridges, sheepishly tell stories of seasickness suffered when they spend too much time in the bucket attached to the flexible arm of the truck parked on a bouncing bridge. They might be uncomfortable, but they’re never scared. They know why bridges bounce. And now, so do you!


Inspectors examine the underside of the
Hurricane Deck Bridge using a snooper truck.

Colorful Language

Between graduations, family reunions and “I gotta get out of town!” trips, I’ve been putting a lot of miles on the family truckster as of late.

Driving interstates, county roads, city streets and gravel paths, I’ve been advised, guided and warned by signs. Lots of signs. Signs of every color and size, it seems. I got curious, so I checked it out and found out there’s a special language to traffic signs – and you are probably fluent without even thinking about it.

Traffic signs are consistent throughout the U.S. because of a document called the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. It’s a required reference for traffic engineers, but not something you’d want to take for a read on the beach. The guide is managed by the Federal Highway Administration and the rules within are followed by all public and private roads open to public traffic.

So when I head to visit my bestie in Kentucky, I am assured that the stop signs there will be octagonal with white letters on a red background, just like they are here.

Color is one part of traffic sign language. Here is a list of the official colors and the meaning behind each:

Red – Stop, yield and forbidden actions such as No Parking.

Orange – Temporary traffic control zones and detours. You often see them at work zones.

Yellow – Warning. Think curves, divided highway signs and such.

Yellow-Green – This is a newer color used on all new school-related signs, such as school zone and school crosswalk signs. It can be used for bicycle and pedestrian warning signs, too.

Distance Sign

Green – Informational signs that give directions, distances and place information.

Blue – Services. These signs announce the presence of rest areas, food, hospitals, lodging and the like.

Purple – This color is used on signs intended to help guide drivers who have registered electronic toll collection accounts, such as EZPass. You’ll see these in states with toll roads.

Pink – Incident. This is a newer color in a day-glo hue. It indicates a crash or other emergency condition exists. You’ll likely see this on temporary, fabric signs deployed by emergency services like police or fire crews.

Brown – Features of interest. Brown signs direct motorists to parks, historic sites and similar sites.



Library Sign



Other parts of the MUTCD dictate sign shapes, the type font and case of letters used on signs and other traffic markings. It’s a valuable reference - kind of a grammar handbook and dictionary rolled into one…but I think I’ll grab a nice thriller for my weekend at the lake.

Designed to Be Destroyed

You know that MoDOT takes its workers' safety seriously.

Did you realize that just as much attention is given to the safety of motorists who travel in work zones?

Why else would MoDOT buy a piece of equipment which is designed to be destroyed?

MoDOT uses truck-mounted attenuators because its vehicles tend to be struck from behind in work zones. Attenuators are like giant, crushable shock absorbers. Mounted to the end of the truck and transported and folded into active position in work zones, the equipment serves as a sacrificial item to protect lives and equipment.

Say a driver is not paying attention or is forced out of his or her lane and is set to collide with a dump truck or other vehicle in a 55 mph work zone. Instead of crashing into metal vehicle, the driver hits an attenuator which  crumples, absorbing momentum and reducing the force of the impact. Damage to the driver and vehicles involved is lessened.

Sometimes, drivers walk away from these crashes. As they do so, MoDOT is able to call out for another attenuator and continue using the same dump truck.

So while all drivers are urged to pay close attention and operate safely in work zones, know that attenuators are on the job to help keep you safe...just in case.

Note: The day after this blog was posted, a commercial truck traveling on I-70 struck the TMA mounted on a MoDOT truck that was part of a crew painting stripes on the interstate. Both drivers escaped the crash with only minor injuries.

Time to Apply for the

Youth Transportation Conference

If you know a high school student that enjoys math and science, the Youth Transportation Conference may be a great way to spend a week this summer.  The free conference runs from July 15-20 in Jefferson city and includes all meals and supervised lodging.

Listen to what one parent had to say after last year's conference:

"With a little prodding from me, my son Tyler signed up for the Youth Transportation Conference last year. His guidance counselor had sent home a flyer with him because she thought it would be a good chance to channel his love of math and science toward a career goal. However, Tyler’s vision for the summer was a bit more laid back. I insisted the six days would fly by. Tyler surrendered and his application was approved a few weeks later.  Not only did Tyler have a blast with all the hands-on activities, he made some friends he’s still chatting with online. His favorite activity was the model bridge building. His team’s popsicle stick creation even held the most weight. What’s more the visit to the MU civil engineering school has put it on his short list of colleges."

Completed applications must be received by June 8.  For more details, go to http://www.modot.mo.gov/EqualOpportunity/youthcamp.htm.