The challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop employees from coming together and sharing their ideas as part of the third annual Innovative Ideas Contest. Typically held in person, this year’s virtual event showcased employee ideas that helped save time and taxpayer dollars while boosting safety.
The contest gave employees throughout the state, in every type of job the ability to view and rate their peers’ ideas via online documents, photos and videos. Of the 75 ideas submitted from all nine highway districts and the Central Office, 23 finalists showed off their innovations in two tracks: Operations and Technical.
The Operations champion was the District 6 Carlinville Team Section with the tank level light. This innovation places sealed LED lights in the lids of tanks that hold deicing chemicals on snowplows and has the potential to save thousands of dollars by preventing deicing material spills.
The Technical champion was Dixon’s District 2 Bureau of Program Development’s crash analysis tool, which uses existing software to identify traffic safety problem areas. The program reduces processing time by more than 90 percent and helps designers make better judgments about how to improve safety.
“Our department is as innovative as they come because of employees who show up for work each day with a goal of doing the best job possible every time,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “I applaud our employees for their creativity on top of their hard work hard on behalf of the public.”
