MoDOT Promotes Safety at Missouri Mavericks Game

MoDOT night at the Missouri Mavericks game was Saturday, March 28, and employees not only had the opportunity to buy discounted tickets for the game, but staff were on hand to remind thousands of fans to drive safely, buckle up and pay attention in work zones. As fans were leaving that night after the big win of 5-2 over the Wichita Thunder, they were further reminded to drive safely in work zones by Barrel Bob and Barrel Betty outside the main entrance of the Independence Event Center.

Before the game, our employees discussed upcoming construction projects in the Kansas City region, as well as reminded fans of the importance of buckling up to Arrive Alive. KC Scout staff were also on hand to inform drivers about getting around Kansas City safely and effectively using Scout tools and information.

Senior Maintenance Worker Jerome Burgett got to drop the ceremonial first puck of the game. Last fall, Burgett was in a MoDOT truck protecting his co-workers in a work zone when a motorist ran into truck-mounted attenuator at around 70 mph. He reminded everyone to please remember to Pay Attention or Pay the price in work zones.

At one of the breaks between periods, Buckle Bear even reminded everyone to Buckle Up to Arrive Alive while riding on the Zamboni.

Safety Selfies

Congratulations to Kati Horner our first Safety Selfie winner from last week! Thanks to everyone who submitted this week. Keep them coming! Contest runs through April 10. Read the rules here. 

Director Nichols Visits KC

Director Dave Nichols was in the Kansas City District today one more time before he retires next month. He spent some time talking to KC staff at the management team meeting and discussing current topics.

“First and foremost, I want to thank each and every employee for all their hard work,” Nichols said. “I still truly believe we have one of the best transportation departments in the country and it’s because we have the best people. I will miss being here and working with all of you.”

Nichols went on to discuss the need to find additional funding to match federal funds. “This is not new news though,” Nichols said. “We’ve been talking about funding for several years now. But we have to keep momentum going, because this needs to get fixed.”

Other topics included new commissioner appointments and when those positions would be filled and the anticipated naming of an interim director at the April commission meeting.

He reminded everyone there to remember as we move forward, “You (the employees) are the voice of the department."

Big Truck Night Kicks Off Work Zone Awareness Week

Hundreds of visitors turned out again for MoDOT’s Kansas City District’s annual Big Truck Night this week. 

Big Truck Night helped kick off national Work Zone Awareness Week March 23-29, when motorists can expect to start seeing crews and trucks on the highways repairing and maintaining the thousands of miles in the nine-county Kansas City Region.

Click here to see all the photos from the event. 

As part of the event, we also hosted a press conference to raise awareness of accidents in work zones. Click here to watch the interview with one of our maintenance employees who was hit in a moving work zone. 

Read more about Big Truck Night on Connections. 

District Supervisors Gather for Quarterly Meeting

Approximately 90 of the Kansas City District’s supervisors gathered Thursday, March 19, to discuss the latest topics critical to MoDOT. Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger kicked the day off to discuss Missouri’s “325 System,” including critical condition bridges and projections for the future of Missouri’s bridges and roads as well as ways to fill the funding gap.

District Traffic Engineer Laurel McKean along with Administrator of Railroads Eric Curtit discussed the five different employee survey action teams and where they are in the process. All teams are soliciting input from employees statewide. McKean is in charge of the Employee Development team and Curtit is the lead of the Under Representation team.

Also from the Central Office, Audits and Investigations Director Bill Rogers discussed ethics training topics for the group.

Other topics covered during the meeting included a safety update, KC Corporate Challenge, 2015 Construction Project Update, design build projects, Traffic Incident Management training, SharePoint implementation, KCNN demo and discussion, and spring meetings.

Gas Tax Increase for Missouri?

A bill has been introduced proposing a 2-cent-per-gallon fuel tax increase for the next three years. This type of funding solution, commonly referred to as 2+2+2+indexing, is the most feasible plan to solve the most urgent of Missouri’s transportationfunding problems.

How does this solution help our construction program?

There are many positive outcomes if this should pass.

Missouri’s 325 System would be avoided, we would be able to keep all of the state’s highways and bridges in the condition they’re in today. We would be able to match all federal funds and reinstate the popular cost-share program. We could make progress on safety improvements, such as shoulders on two-lane roads. We could once again program limited major projects and planning studies.

MoDOT is not the only one that benefits, since a portion of our gas tax is direct to cities and counties, they would see an increase in their road and bridge budgets.

How much could this cost motorists?

The average driver can expect a monthly increase that is about the cost of a gallon of milk, approximately $4. Research also shows that Missourians want transportation issues addressed.

We will continue to track progress on this bill and update employees as we learn more. 

MoDOT Hosts Second Community Roundtable Discussion

MoDOT's Kansas City District recently hosted its second Community Roundtable discussion at the District Office at 600 NE Colbern in Lee’s Summit. 

Several area partners gathered together to discuss past successes and future opportunities to increase diversity and inclusion for individuals in the Kansas City  workforce, procurement and the heavy highway construction industry. 

MoDOT is committed to working with the Kansas City minority community, minority and majority contractor associations, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, residents, state and federal staff to foster and facilitate diversity and inclusion in the heavy highway construction industry in the Kansas City area – and we want to ensure we continue to get community ideas and feedback on these extremely critical topics. 

After District Engineer Dan Niec made introductions, Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger spoke to the group. MoDOT's Director of External Civil Rights Lester Woods followed with a message about MoDOT's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Work Force Program update. 

General Services Director Debbie Rickard ended the afternoon with a presentation on Minority Women Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (MWDBE) Procurement Opportunities.  Learn more about MoDOT's diversity efforts here. 

Colbern Road Improvements

The city of Lee’s Summit is working on some signal and road improvements to Colbern Road. 

Lane closures are restricted to 9 AM until 4 PM, which should reduce the number of our employees impacted. Work is scheduled to complete in 120 days, weather dependent. 

Left turns onto Colbern still will be allowed, however between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM, it will likely be difficult since there will only be one lane open. 

For more info on this project, visit Lee's Summit's Public Works Department website. 

MoDOT - Show Me Your Safety Selfie!

Kansas City MoDOT employees - we want to see your safety selfies! Send us your best pics showing how you do your job safely and you might win some new MoDOT apparel.

Here’s the rules:

• Photo can be individual or team but everyone in the shot must be in appropriate safety gear

• Bonus points for getting the MoDOT logo into the photo

• Photo should be clear

• Creativity counts

• Must provide date and place of the photo

• Must provide name of everyone in the photo, building or department you work in and a brief description of what you were doing in the photo

• And of course – photos must be taken only when it’s safe to do so!

• A winner will be chosen each week and announced on the weekly Kansas City News Network PowerPoint (KCNN) and our new Daily DOT blog on SharePoint

• This weekly contest begins Monday, March 23 and ends Friday, April 10

• Photos should be submitted by Friday of each week

• Winners will be announced the following week

E-mail your selfies (or for questions) to KCCR Melissa Black, Michele Compton or Markl Johnson.

KC Scout Launches Facebook Page

Now you have one more way to connect to KC Scout. 

Last week they launched a new Facebook page to further connect customers throughout the metro to the latest construction, traffic and transportation news from both sides of the stateline. 

Follow them on www.facebook.com/KansasCityScout.

Also find them here:

• twitter.com/KansasCityScout
• Youtube.com/ScoutYourRoute
• www.kcscout.net

MoDOT’s All Employee 2015 Spring Meeting

The following is the invitation per Department Org:

Check In:      8:30 am 

Ending:         3:00 pm

If your department or maintenance building is assigned more than one day please speak with your supervisor on which day you are to attend. It is important to attend on your assigned day, due to arranged space and lunch.

Tuesday April 7, 2015

7CTR Traffic Office  (16)	7C01 Mulberry (19)	7C32 Stadium N (18)	7C71 Srike Team (16)
7C76 LS West (24)	7CBG Build & Ground (4)	7CDE Design (46)	6CAE Matt Killian (1)
6CCN Cont. & Materials (12)	7CCN Cont. & Materials DO (3)	7CTM TMC (10)	7CCB RE LS (16)
7CRB RM (1)	6CDO Leadership (2)	7CCD RE Marshall (11)	6CMA PM’s (6)
6CRE CS (4)	7C27 Platte City (16)

Wednesday April 8, 2015

7C75 Traffic Electrician (10)	6CTP Planning (9)	7CRW Right of Way (10)	6CIS IS (4)
7C03 Belton (20)	6CAC FS (6)	7CCE RE Nashua (18)	7C10 Harrisonville (19)
7C34 Warrensburg (16)	7C16 Knob Knoster (15)	7C26 Odessa (17)	7C06  Concordia (18)
7C95 KC DO Maint. (15)	6CRE CS (4)	7CTA Motorist Assist (8)	7CJA Fleet Support (24)
7CPP Procurement (3)	6CAE Mike McGrath (1)

Thursday April 9, 2015

6CAE Shelie Daniel (1)	6CIS IS (2)	7C75 Traffic Electrician (10)	7CTA Motorist Assist (9)
6CHR HR (5)	7C36 Skiles (19)	7C31 Sedalia (26)	7C29 Richmond (13)
7C25 Northmoor (14)	7C24  Nashua (15)	7C21 Marshall (26)	7C15 Kearney (17)
7CCJ RE Truman (17)	7CB1 Bridge Urban (18)	7C18 LS East (24)	CO Visitors (1)

Health Screening Information:

In preparation, you will need to remember a few things:

• A 9-12 hour fast is recommended before your scheduled screening time. A simple finger stick is all that is needed.
• You may have black coffee and plenty of water is recommended.
• Continue to take any prescription medication.

Your Health Screening will take place:

Tuesday,         April 07 8:30am - 10:30am

Wednesday     April 08 8:30am - 10:30am

Thursday         April 09 8:30am - 10:30am

    

You can sign-up for your preferred time by contacting Glenda Saunders at 816-607-2051 or Glenda.Saunders@modot.mo.gov

Please make sure to bring your insurance cards to the Spring Meeting!

The Quarterly Blood Drive Takes Place at MoDOT's KC Office

The Red Cross and its mobile lab unit set up shop in room 136 Wed. March 11. At least 16 pints of blood was collected today. Thanks to those who gave the gift of life.

MoDOT kicks off Nat'l Work Zone Awareness Week with Big Truck Night

Each year, National Work Zone Awareness Week brings attention to motorist and worker safety on roadways. 

What better way to bring that awareness than with MoDOT's annual Big Truck Night. 

This fun-filled event features some of the specialty vehicles which help MoDOT build, maintain and keep roads safe in the Kansas City region. 

Attendees get a close up look at MoDOT's big equipment, including snow plows, paint stripers and more. 

MoDOT also teams up with our safety partners to showcase their message and equipment. Look for demonstrations by the Lee's Summit Police Bomb Squad truck and K-9 unit. 

Displays will include the Missouri Highway Patrol Seat Belt Convincer, the D.A.R.E car and fire trucks.  

During the event MoDOT workers who have experienced work zone incidents will be on-hand to discuss road safety. Big Truck Night also features concessions and live music and kicks off Monday, March 23 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. 

Check out photos from last year's Big Truck Night. 

KC Scout Hosts Storm Spotter Training

KC Scout recently hosted a bi-state storm spotter training, inviting attendees from MoDOT and KDOT to learn more about spotting potentially dangerous weather patterns. 

A representative from the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill taught the class. This is the third annual storm spotters offered by KC Scout. 

Retirements: Steve Porter

Senior Community Relations Specialist Steve Porter retired last week after 16 years with the department. A baseball theme and packed house were on hand to wish him well. 

Retirement

In more than 16 years as part of the state government, I have come to greatly respect our role in making Missouri a better place. It isn’t driven by any sort of political, spiritual or philosophic rectitude.

We are just trying to do our best to make transportation safer, better and for everyone’s benefit. What you do has great importance. It affects people’s lives every day. Don’t forget that.

For centuries, transportation and communication were inextricably tied together. If you traveled between communities, you shared news, ideas, opinions and knowledge as well as moving people and goods.

As transportation professionals, that should continue to be your mission. You just have more sophisticated tools. Use them. I will, more and more, once I leave here.

You represent government to most people. Defend the concept of good government and champion its successes.  There are bullies and frauds who relish bashing government, and they get by with it when you remain silent. Their unchallenged poison takes hold as gospel. Don’t let that happen. Respond to them, among your family members and friends, and publicly.

And keep doing those great things that we’ve been doing to promote safety, commerce, mobility and efficiency. Facts and action trump political grandstanding and chase the liars and cowards back under their rocks. 

As a gift from his co-workers, Steve received this caricature as a fond farewell. 

Above and Beyond Award -- Jeff Wolfe

Jeffrey Wolfe has been selected as the recipient for the Above and Beyond award for the month of January 2014!

Jeff was instrumental to the success of a new District wide communication tool which was a joint effort of the Customer Relations and KC Information Systems teams.

The KansasCity News Network, or KCNN is a PowerPoint presentation shared weekly with all Maintenance employees during their morning safety meeting.  

The project’s success was made possible by Senior Information Systems Technologist Jeffrey Wolfe getting the tools in place, obtaining and installing the needed technical equipment for the Maintenance facilities.  

Jeff’s coordination, facilitation of, and assiduousness towards the project went beyond his normal duties.

Congratulations Jeff!

Barrel Bob Heralds Upcoming Lane Change on Project

Barrel Bob has made an appearance on the right side of EB I-70 before the US 40/31^st St exit last week. He’s sporting his Royals uniform. 

His role is to help customers adapt to upcoming lane changes on Manchester project. 

Crews are finishing work to shift traffic to new lanes across the bridge in the next few weeks. Learn more about this project on our website.