MoDOT KC Halloween Fun (Photo Gallery)

KC District Planning Partner Meeting

 The Kansas City district held its Planning Partner Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Mid American Regional Council building in Kansas City, MO. 

The planning meeting was for a general discussion on the current condition of the state transportation system, how MoDOT currently spends its resources to take care of transportation assets that would cost an estimated $125 billion to replace, and how additional funding resulting from Proposition D could best be used to consider regional priorities if voters approve the measure in November.

These meetings will lay the groundwork for the development of the next Statewide Transportation Improvement program that will set MoDOT’s construction commitments for 2020-2024 and which will be presented in draft form to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission in May 2019.

MoDOT Partners with AARP to Provide Smart Driver Courses in Kansas City Metro

 The Kansas City District of the Missouri Department of Transportation has teamed up with AARP to offer members the Smart Driver Course at several locations in their nine-district county area. The first class will be hosted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, at the district office at 600 NE Colbern Road in Lee’s Summit, MO 64086.

The four-hour class covers a range of topics including what is changing in vehicle technology, roadway fundamentals, vision changes with age and how medications impact skills. Normally the course costs $15 for members and $20 for non-members but thanks to grant funds from the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, some local classes will be provided free. Motorists or employees interested in participating can call 816-622-6500 to sign up. Registration is limited.

According to AARP’s national driving statistics, fatal crashes-per-mile driven become more frequent as age increases. Adult drivers age 65-plus are over-represented in the number of traffic deaths compared to the rest of the U.S. population, while drivers over 85 have the highest fatality rates per mile driven.

This class is one of seven currently scheduled in the area before the end of the year. Learn more or find a class near you at www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety/

KC Scout Joins the WAZE Connected Citizen Program to Further Motorist Awareness and Safety

KC Scout works with several organizations to promote incident awareness and share information on road safety with our metro motorists. From police, fire, rescue and towing partners to Missouri and Kansas Departments of Transportation, HERE and Google, KC Scout is a willing partner with groups who want to see every motorist get home safe.

Recently they have partnered with WAZE as part of the Connected Citizen Program. This program allows users to alert fellow motorists of crashes, construction, road hazards or road closures they may not be anticipating. WAZE also relies on partners like KC Scout to input data to create a more comprehensive picture of potential traffic delays.

Scout staff has been testing the ability to input planned construction projects into this system over the past month. This week they are officially announcing their role in the program with MoDOT’s planned closures along I-435 near the Three Trails Crossing this weekend. The closures will have signification impacts on traffic. Get the details here: https://bit.ly/2EwcgWv

“KC Scout offers some pretty comprehensive tools for motorists to scout their routes for traffic impacts. From our website, road-side signs, real-time-traffic cameras to our APP, we offer some great options to plan your travel,” said KC Scout Traffic Center Manager Randy Johnson. “But we also recognize that not all motorists use our tools, so we work with partners like WAZE to reach as many drivers as possible with info. Our ultimate goal is safety and to make sure we all get home safe. Whether they use our APP or WAZE, our objectives are the same.”

Learn more about the tools KC Scout provides motorist here: http://www.kcscout.net/ . Also learn more about the Connected Citizens Program here: https://bit.ly/2Afs2AT 

Safety Shout: Winterize Your Ride

You’d never know from our recent great weather, but winter’s coming. When the snow flies, the last thing you need is to be stranded or late because your vehicle broke down. Here are some tips to help you get safely from Point A to Point B without too much blustery language. Most are fairly simple do-it-yourself projects, or relatively inexpensive to have done. Sure beats a forced walk in the cold.

• Change the oil and filter. Motor oil is vital since it both lubricates and cools the engine. Follow the operator’s manual for type and viscosity. Brand loyalty is a personal preference, but you can save money by using rating instead of brand name. Current ratings are ILSAC (International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee) GF-5, or API (American Petroleum Institute) Service SN. GM also has a “Dexos” rating. If oil meets these standards, it’s approved for virtually all motors including turbocharged ones. Properly rated store brands and generics are as good as expensive name brands; in fact, they come off the same production lines. Whatever oil you use, change it as often as your manual recommends. As a note, the “Every 3000 Mile” myth has been largely debunked…most modern oils can safely protect well over twice that long. Save Yo’ Money.
• Change your engine coolant/anti-freeze. The most frequent cause of winter overheating and boil-overs (ironic, isn’t it?) is old, dirty coolant in cold weather. It’s also a frequent cause of heater core failure, which sucks.
• Adjust tire air pressure often; it drops 2-3 pounds per square inch for every ten degrees the temperature drops. Your tires may be fine today, but too low when it gets cold. Low tire pressure saps gas mileage and can be dangerous. Also check the tread depth and general condition of your tires. Don’t forget the spare!
• Replace a dirty air filter. Most cars have automatic chokes, and a dirty air filter can make them less efficient so the engine is harder to start. Many shops will replace the air filter for you free when you buy one. If your engine needs new spark plugs or a tune-up, get them before it gets cold.
• Replace wiper blades and fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir. Seeing is a very good thing.
• Use gasoline with 10 percent ethanol (common in many brands today). Ethanol absorbs moisture, suspending condensation that might otherwise form droplets in straight gasoline. When temperatures change rapidly, this can help your vehicle run more smoothly and can prevent stalling.
• Your brakes are always important, but they’re even more so when it’s slick and icy. Have them checked and the pads or shoes replaced if needed. This is especially critical if for vehicles without anti-lock brakes.
• Keep a bag of cheap clay kitty litter handy. New kitty litter is way better than used. Anyway, if you get stuck, pouring it in front of and behind your drive tires can get you out of a jam and might save you a tow bill. Clean up afterward, so you don’t get a ticket for “littering.”
• Use a fuel stabilizer, such as Sta-Bil, if your vehicle (or power equipment, mower, etc.) won’t be started for a long time. Distillates in gasoline separate over time, and fuel stabilizer prevents this so starting is much easier.

Our customers count on us to make the roads safer for them when winter comes calling. The first step in that equation is getting to work safely yourself, and a well-maintained vehicle is key. If you would like additional information on this or any safety topic, contact district risk management.

District Engineer Brian Kidwell Visits Kansas City Church to Discuss the Upcoming Gas Tax Vote

For the past few weeks or so, Missouri’s Governor Mike Parson and MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna have been travelling across Missouri to discuss the upcoming vote on the state’s gas tax.

KC District Engineer Brian Kidwell had the chance to do the same recently. Kidwell was invited to speak at Morning Star Baptist Church in northeast Kansas City, MO.

His visit on Tuesday, Oct. 23 allowed him to give a short presentation in front of the elders of the church.

It was the perfect opportunity for Kidwell to talk about the impact of what the 10-cent increase in the state’s gas tax would do if it were to pass.

Kidwell told the modest crowd that Missouri has a five-year plan for making statewide road improvements and that it’s constantly being updated. He said if the gas tax were to pass, the added funds would move those projects forward more quickly.

Missouri’s current gas tax, which stands at 17 cents a gallon, has been unchanged since 1996 and is the second-lowest in the country.

The gas tax calls for a 10-cent increase, phased in with two-and-a-half-cent increases for four years. At the full 10 cents, that’s an added $412 million a year for roads and bridges.

After his presentation, Kidwell answered questions from members of the church. That Q and A session then quickly turned to questions about minority hires by MoDOT.  

 Human Resources Manager Deborah Hogan who was also in attendance was able to answer multiple questions about MoDOT’s hiring practices regarding minorities. Hogan touched on the most recent career fair held at the District Office, which took place in mid-August.

The church’s pastor, Reverend John Modest Miles interjected and was quick to mention how MoDOT KC has been a strong supporter of hiring minorities in the Kansas City community.

As for the gas tax, voters will decide the issue on the November 6 ballot.

MoDOT KC Hosts Buckle Up Phone Down Day Event

MoDOT Kansas City partnered with Lee’s Summit North High School to host a special event for Buckle Up Phone Down Day on Friday, Oct. 19.

MoDOT along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was present at the school’s football game that evening to encourage students and their families to take the BUPD challenge. To kick the event off, the high school’s marching band and football team all took the challenge and even challenged other neighboring schools to do the same via social media. Check out the videos of the football team and marching band. These videos were featured across various social media channels to help spread the word.

MoDOT and the MSHP also bhanded out t-shirts to those who take the challenge, window clings, and allowing attendees to try out the Seat Belt Convincer.