|
Highway safety hero nominations sought
 The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is accepting nominations for individuals, organizations and events to be recognized for efforts to promote safe driving. Nomination forms are only online and available at www.savemolives.com.
"The goal of our Coalition is to reduce fatalities on Missouri roads, and we know there are a lot of people in Missouri who contribute to the success we've had to lower the number," said MoDOT Highway Safety Director Bill Whitfield. "This is an opportunity to recognize those who are helping to save lives," he said.
There are five statewide awards and two awards for each of the seven Coalition regions.
Details about the awards can be found at www.savemolives.com, and the form is online and simple to complete. Nominations are due by July 15, and five individuals with an interest in transportation safety have been selected throughout the Midwest to judge the awards.
Regional awards will be judged by the regional coalitions or independent judges they choose. The winners will be recognized at the 2016 Traffic Safety and Blueprint Conference in Columbia in October. Award winners and those who nominate them will be notified in September.
For more information, please call Marisa Ellison at 573-248-2502 or email marisa.ellison@modot.mo.gov.
|
 |
|
|
Let us know what you think!
Please take a few minutes to express yourself about our newsletter in this brief survey (only four required questions) so we can continue providing the best transportation news for you. Your comments will only take a few minutes, and the feedback we get will last a lot longer.
Click here - Express yourself. |
|
|
| New Information Available |
|
|
State Transportation Program focuses on preservation of existing system
 An improved funding situation has allowed MoDOT to increase its ability to take of care of its existing transportation system. That's reflected in the draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or "STIP," which was presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission yesterday.
The last two years, only a handful of new projects were added to the rolling five-year plan because of a potential severe drop in the MoDOT construction budget, changing economic conditions make this year's STIP more robust. Increased state revenues, predictable federal funding as a result of Congress' passage of the FAST Act in December 2015 and MoDOT's ongoing efforts to seek federal reimbursement for preventive maintenance activities have resulted in more funding available for the STIP.
Consequently, 855 projects were added to the 2017-2021 STIP that has $3.97 billion available for construction awards, ranging from $700 million in 2017 to $860 million in 2020 and 2021. The overwhelming majority of projects - 88 percent - are designed to take care of MoDOT's existing system. Read more
View the STIP
|
|
2016-2017 Missouri Airport Directory available
The new 2016-2017 Missouri Airport Directory is now available. The directory offers aerial photographs and detailed descriptions of all 123 Missouri public-use airports. It includes information specific to the landing facility as well as local area attractions and services.
"The directory provides useful information for a pilot to plan a flight and to know how to communicate with a particular airport," said MoDOT Administrator of Aviation Amy Ludwig. "Because airport conditions are constantly changing, this information is not to be used for navigation."
A recent study by MoDOT revealed Missouri airports contribute 100,621 jobs with a payroll of $3.1 billion to the Missouri economy. When all economic activities are considered, total annual economic output of Missouri's system of airports is estimated at $11.1 billion. This represents 4.3 percent of the gross state product.
Explore the 2016-2017 Missouri Airport Directory and Travel Guide online at - Directory.
To request a printed copy, call MoDOT's Customer Service at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or email aviation@modot.mo.gov.
The directory is provided free-of-charge. Funding for this and all state aviation programs comes from aviation fuel taxes and not from general revenue or highway funds.
|
|
|
Transportation, it's personal
Click the image to watch Eric Rogers, Executive Director of Bike Walk KC, discuss the need to make Kansas City's Broadway Bridge more accessible to those who bike and walk.
Check out his personal story.
|
|
- The amount of grass that MoDOT crews mow each year is equivalent to 300,000 football fields.
- MoDOT collects enough bags of trash each year that, if laid side by side, would span from Kansas City to St. Louis.
- MoDOT stripes a distance that circles the earth more than twice each year - more than 70,000 miles.
Click on the image to watch a short video of a MoDOT striping crew.
|
|
|
|
|
MoDOT begins mowing season for Missouri roadsides
Motorists asked to slow down and pass crews carefully
 Pushing the lawn mower back and forth across the yard is a springtime necessity. It can be a pleasure for some and a chore for others. At MoDOT, our crews are beginning the mowing season with a main purpose: safety.
During May and June, there is a good chance you will see MoDOT crews out mowing on tractor mowers so motorists have a clear, safe line of sight as they cruise along state highways.
"We ask motorists to pay attention and slow down when approaching mowing crews. Please take the time to pass carefully and safely especially on rural two lane roads," said MoDOT State Maintenance Engineer Becky Allmeroth.
Major and minor routes will be mowed at least three times through the end of October. Along with the mowing, crews selectively use herbicides to stunt grass growth as well as to control brush and stop the spread of noxious weeds. Wildflowers are an added benefit of not mowing fence-to-fence and careful herbicide usage.
On rural two-lane roads, crews may use a protective "follow" truck to alert motorists they are approaching slow-moving mowers. Drivers are advised to use the following tips to safely pass mowers:
- Be alert for trucks and tractors with lights flashing and moving slowly - 2 to 5 mph.
- Slow down, and focus on the road ahead of you. Avoid talking and texting on a cell phone or other distractions.
- Be prepared to stop or drive very slowly behind a "follow" truck, especially approaching a hill or curve on a two-lane road.
- Obey the no passing zone stripes, and only pass when you can see far enough past the "follow" truck to avoid meeting oncoming traffic.
Between mowing cycles, report grass and weeds blocking visibility at intersections along state roads to MoDOT. Contact MoDOT's 24/7 Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636), or fill out an online form at www.modot.org and click on Report A Road Concern.
|
|
One moment can define your future
Youth alcohol awareness campaign encourages smart choices
Today's teens and young adults are always looking at what their future could hold. They are the music makers and dreamers of dreams. All too often, those dreams are shattered by the act of being distracted or impaired while behind the wheel. It only takes one moment to redefine your future.
In the last three years, there were 53 fatal crashes and 144 serious injury crashes involving an impaired driver under the age of 21. As a result of making this wrong choice, 64 people died and 202 were seriously injured in these crashes.
This month, law enforcement is on the lookout for underage impaired driving with a high-visibility enforcement campaign through May 16. Timing of the campaign coincides with statewide prom and graduation dates, which are often when teens and young adults consume alcohol.
Missouri has a Zero Tolerance Law. If you are under 21, your license will be suspended if you're caught driving with even a trace of alcohol in your system. Consequences of drunk driving include jail time, the loss of driver licenses or being sentenced to use ignition interlocks. Other financial hits include higher insurance rates, attorney fees and court costs. In the worst cases, the underage driver becomes a killer.
Please remember that a seatbelt is your best defense in any traffic crash. Buckle up and Arrive Alive. For more information, please visit www.saveMOlives.com or on social media at Save MO Lives.
|
|
|
Missouri Dept. of Transportation | (888) 275-6636
P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270
|
|
|
|
|
