Jim Edwards Retires

After five years of serving as the Information Systems Manager for MoDOT's KC District, Jim Edwards (pictured on the right) retired this week. Assistant to the District Engineer Joseph Hinton (pictured on the left) thanked Jim for his service and presented him with his retirement plaque Thursday, May 31. Jim said he has no immediate plans but he and his wife plan to start traveling this fall. We wish you all the best Jim!

Members of MoDOT KC Continue to Make an Impact on the Community

Every so often, you'll find someone from the MoDOT family making a difference in the Kansas City community.

Most recently, Emergency Response Overnight Shift Supervisor, Ed Jackson took time out of his weekend to lend a hand. 

Ed took part in a child safety seat and bike safety event, sponsored by Children's Mercy Hospital.

It was held Saturday, May 19 at Schlitterbahn Water Park Kansas City in Kansas City, KS.

Ed says at least 20 new child safety seats were installed that day. 

As employees of a transportation agency, we're all aware of the importance of child safety seats. 

According to healthychildren.org, a child advocacy group, thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes each year. And it's simply because those children were not restrained correctly. 



Most often, parents get confused on how to install a child seat properly. And that's where Ed comes in. 

Because he's a certified child seat installer, he can offer his expertise. 
 
There are a lot of factors to consider when installing a child seat. 


There's things like; a child's size and their developmental needs.

Other factors include if a parent chooses to use a front-facing or rear-facing child safety seat. 

If a parent ever has doubts on what's the proper way, be sure to check with someone who is a certified child seat installer. 

One a side note, Ed adds more than 75 new bike helmets were also passed out on that day as well.

Safety Shout: Burns

Not too many injuries are more unpleasant than a burn. Here’s some information to keep you and yours from “feeling the burn,” which is never a good thing. There are four types of burns, although you usually only hear about three.

1st Degree burns involve minimal damage and affect the epidermis, or skin surface. They cause pain, redness and swelling. Sunburn is a good example of a 1st Degree burn.

2nd Degree burns affect both the epidermis and the underlying dermis, causing redness, pain, swelling and blisters. They may destroy sweat glands and hair follicles. If a deep 2nd Degree burn is not properly treated, decreased blood flow can result in it becoming a 3rd Degree burn.

3rd Degree burns affect the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis, causing charring of skin or a translucent white color. The burned area may be numb, but the surrounding area is painful. Healing is slow due to tissue destruction, and often scarring results.

4th Degree burns affect all layers of skin and structures below such as tendons, bone, ligaments and muscles. These burns are not painful due to destruction of nerve endings, but are very dangerous and can be fatal.

Thermal (heat) burns are the most common, but chemical and electrical burns also occur.
Did you know scalding is one of the most common burn injuries? A young child can be seriously scalded in just three seconds by water heated to only 140 degrees. Many people keep water heaters set at 140-160. Lower yours to 120 or below!

Each year, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined. Smoking is a leading cause. Don’t smoke inside, especially in bed. Keep smoke detectors installed and working properly.
Chemical burns can cause serious injuries similar to thermal burns. They are caused by exposure to strong acids or alkaloids. Bleach, paint thinner, drain openers, toilet bowl cleaners, pool cleaning products, phosphates (found in many household cleaning products) and even chemical cold packs are often to blame. Don’t mix chemicals, keep them away from kids and ensure they don’t spill or leak.

Electrical burns are among the most serious, and can result from arcing, flashing, contact with hot wiring, or all of these simultaneously. Never defeat grounding devices, and keep wiring in good repair. Don’t work on anything electrical without de-energizing the power at the breaker and locking/tagging it out so no one accidentally turns it back on. Even common household current can be fatal.

To treat a burn, gently run cold water over it to cool the tissue. Never use ice or high pressure water. Call 911 if there is charring or significant blistering. If an ambulance is coming, keep cooling the burn with plain water until help arrives. Contrary to past advice, never apply oil or butter to any burn. Minor burns like sunburn can be treated with a gel or spray. Aloe vera is also great for sunburn.
As with all injuries, the best treatment for a burn is prevention.

If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, please contact district risk management.

Bring Your Child to Work Day - June 26

MoDOT’s KC District will host this year’s Bring Your Child to Work Day on Tuesday, June 26, at the District Office as part of Employee Appreciation Week which runs June 25-29. We look forward to showing your child or children some of the many careers represented at MoDOT. The program is designed to introduce them to the world of transportation, construction and engineering and to the wide array of skills and services needed to support it. A day at work will help your child/children discover the link between what they do now in school and what they can become in the future. They will have an opportunity to witness first-hand the vital public services that you and your co-workers provide each day.

The day begins with registration at 7:30 am and activities beginning at 8 a.m. and will wrap up with a district-provided lunch and games. Here are the basic guidelines for the day:

• Children must have completed kindergarten to attend the event.
• Employees must have supervisor permission to attend with their child.
• Employees are required to register for themselves and their children. We need an accurate head count in order to plan group activities and account for lunch.
• All names must be turned in no later than Wednesday, June 20. We cannot accept names after the deadline so please fill out a registration form and turn it in SOON!
• Children will be chaperoned in groups as they tour the building, but parental participation is required.

·     Please complete the attached registration form and return it to melissa.black@modot.mo.gov.

Thank you!

Employee Appreciation Week 2018

Employee Appreciation Week is quickly approaching. Please join us June 25 through the 29 as we honor the dedication and commitment of our KC MoDOT employees. We have a lot of exciting events planned and we hope to see you there!

Volunteer for the Missouri State Fair and Come Home

It’s time to recruit volunteers to work for the 2018 State Fair that runs from Thursday, Aug. 9, to Sunday, Aug. 19. The Kansas City District will host Friday, Aug. 10, and will need eight volunteers. 

Volunteers serve at the MoDOT Highway Gardens building at the 2018 Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Most displays in the MoDOT building are developed and set up by Central Office staff. However, each host district can bring its own display, and there will be an area in the building for this purpose. The building is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day of the fair. The schedule is as follows:

            8:30-8:45 a.m.             Arrive at MoDOT Highway Gardens building in Sedalia

            8:45-9 a.m.                  Orientation for all volunteers on assignments

            9 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.        Team #1 works displays

                                                Team #2 has free time to see the fair

            1:30 p.m.-6 p.m.         Team #2 works displays

                                                Team #1 has free time to see the fair

            6 p.m.                          Leave Sedalia

Employees flex their time off for the day they work and are encouraged to carpool if possible. All volunteers will be provided with a ticket and shirt to wear while working. Days spent working at the fair and expenses should be coded to activity R811, Community Relations Outbound and to job number WGPEFG01. With your supervisor's permission, contact Melissa Black in Communications and let her know by Friday, June 15, if you would like to volunteer. 

Crews Will CLOSE I-70 between I-435 and I-470 Beginning June 8

REMINDER: Crews Will CLOSE I-70 between I-435 and I-470/Route 291 Beginning June 8 

JACKSON COUNTY– The Missouri Department of Transportation will have a COMPLETE CLOSURE of Interstate 70 in both directions between I-435 and I-470/Route 291 beginning at 10 p.m. on Friday, June 8, until approximately 5 a.m. on Monday, June 11. This closure is for the demolition of the Pittman Road, Crysler Avenue, and Phelps Road bridges over I-70. These bridges will be demolished and rebuilt with an anticipated completion date of December 2018.

This work will have major impacts to traffic. Plan ahead. Leave early. Motorists MUST follow the signed detour using I-470 and/or I-435, or find an alternate route. Please note, the suggested detour routes also has bridge work currently in progress which will add drive time to trips. Plan accordingly. Check out the Kansas City Scout cameras for views of the roads and/or to find an alternate route. All work is weather permitting.

• ·         Crews will begin reducing I-70 to ONE LANE in both directions between I-435 and I-470/Route 291 at approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, June 8. Motorists can expect various lane closures.
• ·         Crews will begin closing on and off ramps along I-70 at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, June 8.
• ·         I-70 will be closed entirely from I-435 to I-470/Route 291 at approximately 10 p.m. on Friday, June 8.
• ·         Eastbound I-70 will be reduced to one lane at Manchester Trafficway and traffic will be detoured off of I-70 at I-435. Motorists will be able to go to either northbound or southbound I-435.
• ·         Westbound I-70 will be reduced to one lane before the Route 291/I-470 interchange. All traffic will be routed onto southbound Route 291/I-470.
• ·         Southbound Route 291 just north of I-70 will be reduced to one lane to accommodate merging traffic from westbound I-70.

·         Eastbound I-70 ramp closures include:

o    Manchester Trafficway to eastbound I-70.

o    Northbound and southbound I-435 ramps to eastbound I-70.

o    Blue Ridge Cutoff ramp to eastbound I-70.

o    Highway 40 ramp to eastbound I-70.

o    Blue Ridge Blvd. Ramp to eastbound I-70.

o    Noland Road ramp to eastbound I-70.

·         Westbound I-70 ramp closures include:

o    Northbound and southbound I-470/Route 291 ramps to westbound I-70.

o    Lee’s Summit Road ramp to westbound I-70.

o    Noland Road ramp to westbound I-70.

o    Highway 40 ramp to westbound I-70.

Please be patient and considerate to your fellow motorists. Use the zipper merge and take turns at the merge point.  Please remember that all work zones are NO PHONE ZONES. Buckle up. Phone down. Arrive Alive.

Motorists are reminded to slow down and pay attention while driving in work zones. Not all work zones look alike. Work zones can be moving operations, such as striping, patching or mowing. They can also be short term, temporary lane closures to make quick repairs or remove debris from the roadway.

For more information about MoDOT news, projects or events, please visit our website at www.modot.mo.gov/kansascity. For instant updates, follow MoDOT_KC on Twitter, or share posts and comments on our Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOT.KansasCity.  MoDOT Kansas City maintains more than 7,000 miles of state roadway in nine counties. Sign up online for work zone updates or call 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).

Matt Killion Talks to Young Kids about MoDOT KC (Photo Gallery)

Staff members at MoDOT KC continue to be awesome ambassadors when it comes to reaching out to the community.

The most recent visit happened at Freda Markley Early Childhood Center (Hickman School District) where Area Engineer Matt Killion stopped by.

Killion spoke to the kids about all the great things MoDOT does to maintain the roads and highways. 

He also gave the kids a chance to touch and feel core samples and aggregates, which can be found beneath the surface of the road. 

Killion also talked to kids about being safe on the road. 

Safety Shout: Situational Awareness

A great mind once described situational awareness this way…“All his life he has looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing.” Actually, I think that was Yoda, but you get the point. Situation awareness is, well, situational, but here are some pointers that apply to common MoDOT situations.

• When you park a vehicle, particularly a large vehicle, think in advance as to where the best place to park it is. Try to park to avoid backing, or at least to avoid having to later back out of a tight spot. Do you really need to park that big truck right there to get that big gulp? Really?
  
• Stepping down from a truck or equipment requires 3 points or 4-3-4; everybody knows that. But stepping down onto the shoulder of a traffic lane also requires 1000 points of focus. Are you over far enough? Do you have a “for real” grip so you don’t stumble or fall? Is there a safer place to get in or out? One lapse and you might be the next big hit! That’s not the way to log your windshield time.
  
• Are you standing in the safest possible place, or are you really in the most convenient? Things like moving equipment, giant trenches in the road, and demonically possessed culvert tubes require you to make thoughtful decisions at a rapid pace. Be in the here and now, or you could find yourself on your last leg.
  
• How many traffic lanes do you cross out of convenience or time savings, when you could do it a safer way? Take the time to turn around and go the other way, instead of running across the highway.
  
• Do you honestly think you can focus on the hazards of work while you’re focused on that digital nuclear weapon you call a cell phone? For more info, text “Stupid” to “Help me, I’m broken.”
  
• TMA and cover vehicle spacing is very important, and very easy to mess up. Stay focused on what you’re doing, stay alert, and stay off the phone. You should constantly be reevaluating your position while in a moving operation, and maybe even during stationary operations.
  
• Would you do that in your own vehicle, or on your own mower or equipment? No? Then don’t do it with MoDOT’s!

Injury prevention depends on focus—a focus on the specific situation at hand. If you would like more information on this or any safety topic, please contact district risk management.

MoDOT KC Blood Drive a Success

Once again, MoDOT KC comes through to help give the gift of life. 

Organizers of last week's blood drive say 42 people made themselves available to donate. 

Of the 42 folks who stopped by, 38 units of blood were collected.

That's well above the goal of 25. 



Also good to note, some were able to offer more and there were a few deferrals. 

As always, thanks for your contribution. 

Remember, you have another opportunity to donate later this year.

Another blood drive is scheduled for Thursday, July 5 here at the District Office.

Those who donate will receive two tickets to a Royals game.  

If you need additional information, please contact Lori Bronson at 816-607-2083 or lori.bronson@modot.mo.gov.

A Close Call for MoDOT KC's Brad Wise

As many of you know, Brad Wise in MoDOT KC's Right of Way Department is a big car guy. 

His cubicle has photos of cars and trucks he's pretty fond of, of course.

One photo in particular shows his 1964 Chevy C-10 Pickup Truck. He's had it for three years and said he finally got it to where he wanted it after having it refurbished.

You've probably seen Brad's red and white pickup a time or two at MoDOT ribbon cuttings or most often at car shows.

Brad's recent trip to a car show ended in a way no one saw coming or could have predicted.

On a Saturday afternoon earlier this May, Brad left a car show and was headed south on I-35.

Just as he was approaching Liberty, his back left-rear tire blew. The force of the blowout caused him to lose control of the vehicle and it drifted off the right shoulder of the road. 

Brad says the truck rolled, went down in an embankment and incredibly landed upright.

A tow truck driver who arrived on the scene told Brad that his pickup traveled at least 50 feet before coming to a halt.

Amazingly, Brad wasn't seriously hurt. EMTs did place him in a neck brace at the scene and then took him to the hospital.

He received a C-T Scan, which thankfully showed that he did not have any broken bones. 

Brad did suffer some serious soreness in his shoulder and needed to take a week off to recover...

"I'm lucky to be alive, and I think that seat belt saved me, and I'm sure God was watching over me," Brad said as he sat at his desk.


All that's left of the pickup truck is a mangled mess, but we thankfully have Brad in one piece.

One very interesting note Brad pointed out as he talked about the harrowing ordeal.

His beautiful, red 64' Chevy C-10 Pickup did not have seat belts in it when he bought the truck. 

Brad had the seat belts installed, which undoubtedly saved his life.

Innovations Challenge Trophy is Back!

Whenever a team wins the People's Choice Award at the Innovations Challenge, a traveling trophy is displayed at that district office for the year! For two years in a row, that trophy has been on display at the MoDOT Kansas City District Office! 

This year, the People's Choice Award went to JAWS, submitted by Marcus  Slaughter, Chris Zurn, William Brewster, Douglas Parson, and Benjamin Sudheimer. Learn more about JAWS here.

Last year the the award was presented to the TMA Flagger, submitted by David Eppright, Travis Teter, Russ Fisher, and Chris Zurn.

We're so proud that the Kansas City district is full of talented people who help make our organization safer!

Summer Interns Have Returned

It's that time of year again! Summer interns have arrived. 

25 new faces will be around the Kansas City district this summer.

Their internship started on Monday, May 21, with an orientation led by Human Resource Specialist (and former intern, himself) Kyle Chancy. It also included a welcome from Human Resources Manager Deborah Hogan, District Engineer Brian Kidwell, Assistant District Engineer Susan Barry, and and Assistant to the District Engineer, Joey Hinton.

The orientation included a presentation about MoDOT and our values and a tour of the district office.

The group comes to us from a variety of schools and majors including the University of Missouri Kansas City, Missouri S&T, University of Kansas, Lincoln University, Rockhurst University, Kansas State University, The University of Missouri - Columbia, and the University of Central Missouri.

If you see them, be sure to welcome them to MoDOT!

Black Achievers Society Tours MoDOT Kansas City (Photo Gallery)

MoDOT Kansas City's Human Resources Manager Deborah Hogan hosted Kansas City's Black Achievers Society on Thursday, May 17. 

The Black Achievers Society is a not-for profit organization originally founded in 1975 by Emanuel Cleaver, the former Kansas City, MO mayor. 

The mission of the group is to actively respond to the educational, social, and economic needs of the community by providing role models for African Americans and minority youth, sharing knowledge gained through academic and corporate experience.

In addition, the group is active in the community and offers a variety of scholarships, internships, and mentoring programs for area youth!

Deborah previously served two terms at the society's president. 

"It was truly an honor to host at MoDOT. Members came from all over KC, Honeywell, Hallmark, MCCC, Children's Mercy, Providence Hospital, and the YMCA.

What an honor for them to hear about MoDOT and appreciate what we do." explains Deborah.

MoDOT KC District Engineer Brian Kidwell also spoke with the organization. After welcoming them to MoDOT, he  explained to them all about who we are, what we do, and the Buckle Up Phone Down initiative.

The group gathered in the MoDOT Kansas City board room and enjoyed lunch, conversation, and a tour of Kansas City Scout held by Marcus Slaughter and Nancy Powell.

Safety Shout: String Trimming Safety

Hay! It’s weed-eating thyme! Stalk the fescue, lop the Timothy, but beware the Johnson. Rye? Well, for equipment that’s supposed to be Stihl, string trimmers are fast enough to kick your grass if you’re not careful. Not to be Pampas about it, but weed like you to be safe. Hold the line for some tips.

 The cutting heads on many string trimmers rotate at 12-15,000 RPM. The spin doctors in Jefferson
City would be proud! That equates to a cutting line speed of hundreds of MPH. Even at idle, the
head may still rotate at 3000 RPH. That’s dangerous, and I’m not line! Are you filament?

 Rocks, sticks and pretty much any other small object that lives in the right of way can be thrown with great velocity by a string trimmer, in any direction. Wear a mesh face screen, and safety
glasses under that. If thrown debris can break car glass, it can certainly do a number on your eye.

 Hearing protection is also sound advice when using a string trimmer. Weed-eaters are virtually guaranteed to be over 85 dB, and they may be more on the order of 105dB. What a racket.

 Most string trimmers have two-stroke engines that require premix (oil and gas mixture). Using straight fuel will ruin them at best, and at worst they can fail catastrophically or catch fire. When you get gas, try to break only wind, not the equipment.

 The most common injuries seen at MoDOT involving string trimming are slips, trips and falls.
Look where you’re going, literally. Rut did you say? Stepping safely in rough areas can be a real
ditch, but sometimes you just have to put your foot down.

 Take great care to utilize cover vehicles and TMAs to the maximum extent possible. Motorists
tend to be more careful to avoid hitting a big truck that can kill them, so use that to your full
advantage.

 Always ensure you give yourself an exit route, and watch traffic frequently. You don’t want the
last thing you look up at to be some knucklehead looking down at their cell phone.

 Try not to complain too much to your coworkers who are mowing. Trying to get too close to
objects, trees and drop-offs is dangerous and has caused many incidents at MoDOT, some very
serious. String trimming is hard work, but it’s usually much safer than trying to get that last few
inches with a mower.

So there you have it, the long and short on weed-eating. If you would like more information on this or
any safety topic, please contact district risk management.

MoDOT KC Offers Life-Saving CPR Classes

Cardiac arrests are more common than you think and happen more often than people realize. 

Many victims appear to be healthy with no known heart disease or risk factors when cardiac arrest occurs.  

That's why it's so very important to learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitate) in case of an emergency. 

Leaders in Risk Management are holding CPR classes for anyone interested in learning. 

Classes are being held May 15-17 inside the district garage conference room. 

Safety and Health Manager Eric Ramsey says there have been many examples of employees getting hurt and their coworkers needing to provide first aid treatment.

Ramsey adds, "It is a fact, early intervention from trained people are able to provide aid, whether it be CPR, first aid or use of an AED, can make all the difference between life and death. 


When cardiac arrest does strike, it's often those who are able to quickly respond that help the victim remain alive. 

In many situations, emergency responders aren't able to get to a victim in time, but with the right training and skills, anyone can save a life.  

More CPR classes will be offered this summer.

It was just last month, MoDOT KC installed close to thirty AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) across the district.