On the morning of Nov. 18, a motorist struck and killed two St. Louis District employees and injured a third on Telegraph Road over Interstate 255 during a striping operation.

MoDOT mourns the losses of Senior Maintenance Worker James Brooks and Maintenance Worker Kaitlyn Anderson. Intermediate Maintenance Worker Michael Brown was injured in the crash and remains hospitalized.

James was 58 and worked for the department for nine years. Kaitlyn was 25 and worked for the department for two years. Michael is 35 and has worked for the department for two and a half years.

"Our hearts are breaking and our sympathies go out to all the families of our employees," said Tom Blair, St. Louis district engineer. "These are our friends and co-workers, and their presence will be sorely missed by us."

View MoDOT's Virtual Memorial Wall.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. As you visit family and friends, the Missouri Department of Transportation recommends you focus on four safe driving tips to help you arrive safely to your destination: buckle up everyone in your vehicle, put your phone down while driving, don’t speed and don’t drive impaired. 

“The weather forecast is looking good for Thanksgiving travel and we’ll likely see heavier than normal traffic on Missouri roads beginning midweek and increasing through the weekend,” said Becky Allmeroth, MoDOT’s chief safety and operations officer. “Motorists should remain alert to highway situations and be prepared for increased traffic on highways.”

Twelve people were killed and 41 seriously injured during the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday extended weekend. 

“Holiday travel can turn tragic in an instant,” said Allmeroth. “Make good choices that can save your life and the lives of others.”  

With statewide traffic fatality figures continuing to rise, MoDOT is urging motorists to be vigilant, always buckle up, obey posted speed limits and never drive impaired or distracted.

Keep informed of road and conditions on MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map at traveler.modot.org. The map can also be downloaded as a free app for Apple and Android devices.

Stand Up for Safety Day, an annual event aimed at keeping safety at the forefront of every employee and task, is moving to July.

This day has been held in October for the past seven years, but with fall meetings, the statewide snow drill, annual leave sweeps and other events taking place at the same time, October was overfilled with activities, putting a strain on business tasks.

Beginning in 2022, the annual focus on safety will take place in July. Additionally, spring meetings held in March and April will include safety refresher and ‘just-in-time’ trainings for upcoming summer operations. Approved trainers and safety staff will attend each meeting to provide the required and recommended training. 

Kansas City District's Interstate 435 South Loop Link design-build project recently received a 2021 National Award – Merit in Transportation from the Design Build Institute of America. The project has received multiple awards from various organizations to date.  

“We work hard to maintain and improve the safety of Missouri’s roadways,“ said MoDOT Kansas City District Engineer Chris Redline. “This award from the DBIA just shows we are doing the best we can for Missourians, especially with the Design-Build process.” 

Last week was Crash Emergency Responder Safety Week. Various emergency response agencies and organizations, including MoDOT and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, gathered to sign the Missouri Open Roads Agreement, a first-of-its-kind document that provides guidance to emergency responders clearing incidents from Missouri highways.

In the agreement, the agencies adopted a goal to clear traffic incidents safely from the roadway in no more than 90 minutes from the arrival of the first responder.

MoDOT, MSHP and other emergency responders are calling on drivers to do their part by staying alert, slowing down and, when possible, moving over to give them room to work.

Earlier this year, the Equal Opportunity & Diversity Division launched the VETS (Veterans Engaging Together for Success) Employee Resource Group. 

Based on feedback from this group, EODD is hosting a special Veterans Conference on Nov. 30 from 8 a.m. to noon:

• Learn about the complexities of PTSD and strategies for offering support.
• Explore the “call to service” that fuels service members and our employees.
• Discuss best practices and learn the language needed to more effectively “translate” military job skills and competencies to the work we do at MoDOT.
• Share resources available to support veterans and service members.

This virtual event is open to all! Register in MoDOT U with course code 92191.

In honor of employees in the Northeast District who are veterans, small American flags were distributed to every building, and supervisors were encouraged to line a driveway, sidewalk or some other area to represent our appreciation to our co-workers who served or serve in the armed forces. 

In addition, employees who served were asked to share photos of themselves in uniform so the district could update its Wall of Honor. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Missouri Highways and Transportation Commissioners met in Kansas City earlier this month and toured the Buck O’Neil Bridge site.

Stage one of the Buck O’Neil Bridge project began this year. This phase includes a new interchange at the north side of the airport, construction on the north and southbound side of the bridge, building demolition and initial grading for the 3rd St. relocation. 

Recently, State Representative Don Rone sponsored a bill to designate a section of Route D in Pemiscot County as the “Duane S Michie Memorial Highway."

The signs along Route D are now in place. This section stretches from the Route D/Route 84 intersection to County Road 321.  

Duane Michie of Hayti started his term with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission in December 2001 and served until June 2010. In addition to serving as a commissioner, he was the chairman of the Pemiscot County Port Authority and had decades of experience in the banking industry.  

Michie was a strong advocate for transportation and valued the economic opportunities it could bring. 

Be aware of what you’re doing around the cylinders. If a cylinder is not secured and falls over, it can become a projectile.

• Compressed Gas Cylinders must be properly labeled.
• Store cylinders secured and in upright position.
• Keep valve protective caps in place when cylinder is not in use.
• Keep oxygen cylinders at least 20 feet from flammable gas cylinders or combustible materials.
• Keep regulators free from grease and oils.
• Use soapy water to detect connection leaks.
• Never roll a cylinder or carry it by the valve.
• Never transport without the cylinder cap on or an approved transportation cap.

Quitting smoking is the most important thing smokers can do to live a longer, healthier life. Yet as of 2019, 14% of American adults smoke.

You’re not weak - you’re addicted 

If you’ve tried to stop smoking and always seem to pick it up again, you’re not alone. Nicotine, the drug in tobacco, is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. A smoker who tries to quit faces up to a few weeks of withdrawal. The physical addiction to nicotine is in full force after just a few weeks of smoking. There’s also a mental addiction to the habit of smoking.

Making it through the cravings 

Here are some ways to cope:

• Take a brisk walk. 
• Spend time in places where you can’t smoke. 
• Change other habits too. 
• Make a list of all your reasons for quitting and keep a copy with you. 
• If you feel like you are about to give in, tell yourself you must wait at least ten minutes.
• Save the money you would have spent on tobacco for a daily treat or a major purchase.

Remember, there is no such thing as “just one” cigarette or puff. The strong desire to smoke will eventually pass.

Getting help 

Between medicines and counseling programs, there is help for people who want to quit. Getting counseling and support can double your chances of success. Nicotine Anonymous (nicotine-anonymous.org) offers support on the phone, via text, online and in person. You can also call the National Quitline (smokefree.gov) at 1-877-448-7848 or 1-877-44U-QUIT. 

Drug treatments can also help. Nicotine replacement therapy gives you nicotine through gums, patches, sprays, lozenges, or inhalers, without the other dangerous chemicals in cigarettes. This way you can focus on breaking the habit of smoking before you must go through the physical withdrawal.

There are no healthy alternatives to smoking 

Using e-cigarettes, or vaping, is not a healthy alternative to cigarettes or smokeless tobacco. Vapor from an e-cigarette contains harmful chemicals that can cause cancer, along with other health problems. Vaping around other people exposes them to harmful chemicals, as well.

There’s no better time to stop smoking than now. You’ll start enjoying the health benefits immediately and continue to enjoy them for a long time to come.

The holiday season and tidings of good cheer are among us! Although gatherings with family, friends and co-workers can be fun and jovial, there oftentimes can be an undercurrent of frustration or difficult and triggering conversations that can ruin that fun and even those relationships.

In this webinar, a licensed professional counselor will discuss what boundaries are, why they are important to maintaining healthy relationships both personally and professionally, and how you can set necessary limits with those around you.

This webinar will take place Dec. 16 from 10-11 a.m. Register here.