MoDOT KC Looking for Volunteers for this Year's Corporate Challenge

MoDOT KC has multiple events/opportunities for volunteering at this year's Corporate Challenge. 

If you didn't know, MoDOT gets POINTS for everyone who takes part/volunteers in an event.

However, MoDOT will also LOSE points for each volunteer spot we don’t fill. 

You don't even have to be signed up for Corporate Challenge to volunteer.  

Duties include checking in competitors and checking in teams (sitting at a desk).

It may also involve timing the competitors in certain events, such as swimming. 

Below is a listing  of volunteer opportunities.

Email Deirdre Braun or Trisha Sen if you are interested in volunteering.

Thanks! 

Randy Hartman's Retirement (Photo Gallery)

Independence Avenue Closure

MoDOT will close Independence Avenue on the north side of Colbern Road between Colbern Road and NE Town Center Drive beginning Monday, May 1, until approximately May 10. The closure is for pipe installation and paving. The east entrance to the parking lot will also be closed. Employees and visitors should use the west entrance to the parking lot. All work is weather permitting. 

Safety Shout: Worker's Memorial Day

April 28, 2017 is Worker’s Memorial Day. The KC District has a memorial, and another is established on a beautiful site in Jefferson City near the State Capitol, on behalf of fallen MoDOT workers. On it is inscribed the names of those lost in the line of duty, along with the words, “Respect, Honor & Remember.” Please take a minute to do that. Then, take another minute to consider how you can best honor our fallen employees in ways beyond quiet reflection and moments of silence. 

Records on causation are sketchy prior to 1987, but here’s the heavy toll we’ve paid since 1987 to keep our roads and citizens safe. You can honor those supreme sacrifices, and those made by the employees prior, back more than 100 years, in some very meaningful ways…

We’ve lost twenty-six coworkers to incidents involving motorists and work zones. You honor them every time you don a hardhat, safety glasses and reflective gear to enter the right of way. You honor them as you watch out for each other, set the right signs, look for safer ways to work, never cut corners and when you tweak your work zone to make it easier for motorists to understand. You honor them by placing safety above convenience.

We’ve lost eight coworkers in motor vehicle crashes conducting MoDOT business. You honor them when you click your seatbelt, use a spotter, obey traffic laws, and check your monster ego and don’t retaliate when someone else drives aggressively. You honor them by realizing that deadly smart phone really can wait.

We’ve lost four coworkers to injuries caused by moving equipment. You honor them when you lock and tag out, trim your hoodie string or secure loose clothing, set chocks, and respect moving equipment hazards.

We’ve lost two coworkers to medical conditions suffered while at work. You honor them each time you make a positive lifestyle change, when you quit tobacco, when you get a flu shot, a checkup or a health assessment, or when you drag yourself to the doctor’s office.

We’ve lost one coworker who was shot while visiting a rest area, and another who died in an explosion. You honor them when you stay cautious and aware of your surroundings, and when you report anything out of the ordinary to the proper authorities.

We’ve lost one coworker who drowned trying to save a motorist trapped in a submerged car. You honor him when you realize your limits and ask for help, even when it’s difficult to do so.

We’ve lost two coworkers who fell from elevated areas and ladders. You honor them when you use the right fall protection gear, inspect it properly, and understand the risks involved in even the slightest elevations.

You respect, honor and remember every fallen worker when you understand--really understand--how vital it is to fully engage your most important piece of personal protective equipment—your brain. And, when you truly start to realize how insignificant complaints about safety procedures are compared to the unacceptable cost of you, a coworker, or a member of the public ignoring them. 

Moments of silence and respectful reflection are both appropriate ways to honor our fallen, but perhaps the best way is to do everything you can to not join them. Make safety a value, not a priority, and make it part of your natural behavior. If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, contact district risk management.

Leroy Van Dyke Highway Sign Dedicated

Jeff Mays and Keith Rush pose with Leroy Van Dyke at the dedication.

On Saturday, April 22, the portion of U.S. Highway 50 from Main Street Road to the intersection of U.S. Highway 65 in Pettis County was dedicated as the "LeRoy Van Dyke Highway." 

Leroy Frank Van Dyke is an American country music legend, singer and guitarist, who is a Missouri native and lives in the Sedalia area. He is best known for his hits "The Auctioneer" (1956) and "Walk On By" (1961). Van Dyke continues a full performance schedule, traveling from his 1,000-acre ranch in west central Missouri near Sedalia.

  

Assistant Maintenance Supervisor Paul Valadez and Assistant Maintenance Supervisor Keith Rush set up the Leroy Van Dyke Highway sign for the Saturday dedication.