Fiscal Year 2024 budget passes with I-70 funding | |
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On May 5, the General Assembly approved $2.8 billion to widen Interstate 70 approximately 200 miles from Blue Springs to Wentzville. Of the $2.8 billion, $1.4 billion will be provided from the state’s General Revenue (GR) surplus, and the remaining will be provided through the issuance of bonds, which the debt service for the bonds will come from GR. This is a historic investment of GR funding in one of the state’s most heavily traveled interstates.
MoDOT will designate an overall Improve I-70 Program leadership team to guide the I-70 work across the state. The team will organize the efforts to plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate and repair three lanes in each direction. Updated information is available on the web at www.modot.org/improveI70.
The transportation budget in the operating budget also includes funding for low-volume and minor roads, an environmental study on Interstate 44, many other individual highway projects and multimodal funding for railroad crossings, AMTRAK, airports, transit and ports.
The legislative session ends May 12. The Governor has until July 1 to approve the budget.
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At the May 3 Missouri Highways & Transportation Commission meeting, Director McKenna shared a video summarizing the National Work Zone Awareness kickoff news conference. View the video here. He also shared the winning billboard design from the work zone safety billboard contest held for fifth grade students in several mid-Missouri counties. The winning design was submitted by Amelia Freeman from Immaculate Conception School in Jefferson City and will be displayed on billboards along Interstate 70 and Routes 63 and 54.
Director McKenna also highlighted the annual Innovations Showcase, where staff from more than two dozen other state DOTs came to learn about the event.
The director highlighted the changes within MoDOT in the past decade. The early 2010s had historically low funding levels at only $325 million per year available for road and bridge work in the FY2016-2020 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The amount was reversed and grown in the 2017-2021 STIP. Over the decade, the Citizen's Guide to Transportation Funding was created to educate Missourians, the Buckle Up Phone Down campaign was created and has spread to dozens of other states, and Governor Parson has been instrumental in many important transportation programs. The 2021 passage of Senate Bill 262 raised the state's motor fuel tax for the first time in 25 years. Along with the new federal transportation bill, the Commission approved the largest STIP in 2022 at $10 billion. It's been an incredible rise in opportunity to make a difference for transportation in Missouri.
Read the full meeting summary, which topics include: Director's Report, Consideration of Bids, Post-Pandemic Safety Update, MoDOT Cyber Security and Innovations Challenge Virtual Showcase Presentation.
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Leadership Development Rule update | |
Calling all managers and supervisors - good news! The Office of Administration proposed an amendment change to the Missouri Code of State Regulations in regard to the Leadership Development Rule.
The rule will now require only 40 hours of training for all supervisors per fiscal year. Previously, the rule required 52 hours of training. Since the rule takes effect on June 30, 2023, supervisors will only need to have 40 hours of completed training by the end of this fiscal year and any following fiscal years.
Questions? Contact [email protected].
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Rare, threatened plant identified during field visit | |
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Earlier this month, Senior Environmental Specialist Caleb Knerr visited a project in Dade County to look for potential environmental impacts. In his search, he located a rare, federally threatened plant species called bladderpod.
“It’s really cool to get to be the person going out and looking for rare plants and animals that are often found just outside (and sometimes inside) the project areas,” Knerr said. “It doesn’t happen on every project, but every once and a while I get to see and do some really cool stuff.”
The environmental section works to make sure projects have as minimal an impact as possible to all environmental resources (natural, human, built, cultural, etc.) that are protected under the National Environmental Policy Act umbrella.
The Dade County project takes place near several records of the bladderpod. The Missouri Department of Conservation had previously searched the area for the plant species but didn’t find any. Knerr visited the site a week later and found some peeking out of a nearby glade. His discovery earned the praises of the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as many colleagues within MoDOT.
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Senior Environmental Specialist Caleb Knerr poses with a rare patch of bladderpod he located on a field visit in the Southwest District this month. | |
A patch of federally endangered bladderpod bloom from on overgrown glade near a Dade County project. | |
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“Caleb is one of the many passionate environmental specialists that does a great job helping MoDOT deliver projects while being a good steward of Missouri’s resources,” said Assistant State Design Engineer Kenny Voss.
"I find a lot of satisfaction in getting to help projects move through the design and environmental permitting process knowing that the end result is to make the transportation system safer and more reliable for the traveling public,” Knerr said. “My work not only helps projects get built, but it also helps make sure these rare and sensitive plant and animal species and the habitat they rely on is protected for future generations.”
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Bees take up residence on MoDOT building | |
Last week, Senior Facility Operations Specialist Steve Hubble photographed this swarm of bees at a MoDOT training center in Jefferson City - and they weren't the first swarm to "bee" seen there recently! MoDOT team members called bee keepers to remove and relocate the bees to a safe location. | |
Focusing on thinking strategically, critically | |
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Last month marked our annual Innovations Showcase, which displays the ability of our workforce to think strategically about solving issues or problems they see daily. The participants were able to identify these problems and, more importantly, come up with solutions to solve the problem and help our team improve.
The ability to think critically and solve complex issues regularly is necessary to be a successful leader. Below are some courses to get you started:
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month | |
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Addressing Mental Health Stigma
People often use the term stigma to describe the shame or embarrassment some may feel when struggling with mental health. Stigma can hurt relationships, work and family, and make a person who needs care more afraid to seek help.
Addressing mental health stigma is important because the very concept of shame makes it difficult for many individuals with mental health conditions to seek help. Studies show that about 75% of people with a mental health condition feel stigma.
How Common Are Mental Health Conditions?
Many people experience some sort of mental health condition in their lives and likely have a loved one, family member or friend with an emotional or mental health condition. Yet, there is still stigma around issues such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorders and bipolar disorder.
What Is Considered A Mental Health Condition?
The term mental health condition applies to disorders of the mind and can be as broad and wide as physical illness. Mental health conditions include event-specific issues that cause post-traumatic stress disorder, depression that is passed down from a parent to a child or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mental health issues can happen once, many times or even be ongoing.
Examples of mental health conditions include:
- Depression.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Substance use disorders.
- Bipolar disorders.
- Psychotic disorders.
- Mood disorders.
- Personality disorders.
How Can We Be More Aware Of Mental Health Conditions?
Signs to watch for:
- Sudden social issues.
- Problems at work or school.
- Changes in sleeping, eating or self-care.
- Excessive drinking or drug misuse.
- Mood changes.
How Can I Help Myself?
Going to a primary care doctor might be the right first step for finding mental health help. Your primary care doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist. From there, the mental health professional will work with you to make a treatment plan. This can include counseling, therapy, medication, care without medicines or a mix of treatments. They may suggest lifestyle changes, such as eating habits, exercise or quitting smoking.
Working with a healthcare professional to identify a mental health condition will help get you on the path to treatment sooner. There is no shame in taking care of yourself. The more you learn about your disorder, the more empowered you will feel.
Check the next edition in two weeks for more!
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Archaeological discoveries at Buck O'Neil Bridge site | |
Archaeologists with Burns and McDonnell search the Buck O’Neil Bridge Project site for possible historic artifacts. | |
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The Kansas City District’s U.S. 169 Buck O’Neil Bridge Design/Build project is underway. Scheduled to be completed by Dec. 2024, crews have been hard at work on the new structure that will provide a century’s worth of service to Kansas City.
Prior to its construction, MoDOT hired Burns and McDonnell to conduct an Environmental Assessment to review the impacts and the preferred solution to address the aging bridge.
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In response to the 2018 study, Burns and McDonnell has collected, researched and documented historic artifacts discovered within the project site.
Some of the items recovered include hairbrushes, combs, eyeglasses, children’s toys, coins, glassware, medication bottles, beverage bottles and more. These items have allowed us to learn more about the history and the people who once inhabited this extremely marginalized area of Kansas City. The artifacts uncovered by the team can help us further understand and write some of these often-forgotten communities back into history.
Learn more in this short video.
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Southeast District focuses on seat belt safety | |
When the Malden Department of Public Safety learned of their high school’s 2022 seat belt survey results at the last Southeast Coalition for Roadway Safety meeting, they realized action had to be taken.
Data indicated only 56% of Malden High School teen drivers and passengers wore their seat belts. With the city recently passing a primary seat belt ordinance, they knew education would be a key factor in increasing seat belt usage.
On May 2, officers handed out literature and promotional items to teen drivers to educate them on the importance of wearing their seat belts.
“The students seemed to enjoy the interaction with us. Several had questions about the new primary seat belt ordinance and were eager to learn more from the handouts we gave them,” said Assistant Chief of Police Bobby Jones.
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Assistant Chief of Police Bobby Jones talks with a student about seat belt safety and the new primary seat belt ordinance the city of Malden recently enacted. | |
The Malden Department of Public Safety officers who spoke with students on May 2 about the importance of wearing their seat belts. | |
Kansas City's No MOre Trash Bash! recap | |
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During the month of April, the Kansas City District worked together for the annual No More Trash! Bash with other districts, private citizens, Adopt-a-Highway groups and various organizations to clean up Missouri state roadsides. Working together, they were able to gather approximately 5,000 bags of litter in the region.
The district would like to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who participated!
There are many ways to reduce litter, and all of them require evaluating our lifestyles as individuals, schools, communities and businesses.
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Josh Burks
Southwest District Maintenance Superintendent
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Josh Burks came to MoDOT 23 years ago, one month after he graduated from high school as “college help.” He says he’s had the opportunity to work in urban Springfield and very rural areas in the Southwest District.
Today, Burks is a maintenance superintendent, a position he’s held since 2014. He says the experience he gained prior to becoming a superintendent has made him a better leader.
“Being able to work in these areas as a crew worker and supervisor has broadened my knowledge of the needs these types of areas have,” Burks said. “Working with employees from various backgrounds and cultures has helped me learn that leadership styles can change throughout your career.”
He starts his workday at different facilities under his supervision, meeting with employees and making sure they have what they need to get their work done safely and efficiently. Other parts of his job include checking on work zones and following up on completed projects, training employees, collaborating with other divisions on construction projects, addressing customer concerns and monitoring the budget.
One of the best parts of the job, Burks said, is training and mentoring others.
“Helping develop employees to become the next leaders within their department and in the organization” is a highlight, he said.
In 23 years, there have been some unexpected parts of the job.
“I never thought that I would have to do interviews with the local news media,” he said. “Also, the increased volume of traffic and the amount of distracted driving on our roads in the last 20 years has surpassed what I could ever have expected.”
Outside of work, Burks enjoys working on his farm raising beef cattle with his wife and two children.
“I also enjoy teaching the next generation the enjoyment of the outdoors by taking them fishing, hunting and just being outside.”
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May service anniversaries | |
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35 Years
Paul Harman CO
30 Years
James Gillespie II NW
Steven Pike NE
Jim Carriker NE
Danny Behl NE
Jeffery Gander NE
Lincoln Keen NE
Tim Hellebusch SL
Thomas Blair SL
Kevin Davidson SE
James Laughlin CO
Robert O'Connor CO
Gabriel Wolken CO
Janet Ruth CO
Danny Sickendick CO
25 Years
Darin Lunsford NW
Janet Groenda NE
Timothy Koch KC
James Williams CD
Larry Johnson CD
Brenda Morris CO
20 Years
Clayton Rice NE
Oliver Perkins NE
Mark Burroughs KC
Milton Valentin KC
Justin Neuman CD
Joyce Branson CD
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20 Years Cont.
Michael Foppe SL
Steven Cooper SW
Gideon Buchanan SW
Samuel Bishop SE
Eric Mabery SE
Jamie Norris SE
Joseph Killian SE
Ron Rehkop SE
Donald Reynolds SE
Andrew Seiler CO
15 Years
David Simmerman NW
Kirk Emig NW
Austin Hibler NW
James Griffith NE
Ryan Monroe KC
Elizabeth Hart-Hopkins KC
James Blanchard III SW
Jeffery Drake SW
Linzy Agnew SE
Nicholas Fraley SE
James Cowger SE
Danny James SE
Jeannette Saucier CO
10 Years
Adam Wood NW
Jared Flint NW
Justin Evans NW
Anthony Mitchell KC
Ryan Anderson KC
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10 Years Cont.
Anthony Crusha KC
Derrick Daniels KC
April Stubbs SL
Chad Davis SL
Magdalena Marsden SL
Nicholas Gibbons SL
Jacob Capeder SW
Aaron Hofmann CO
Catherine Marnell CO
Jennifer Kraus CO
Adam Hoffman CO
Amanda Haynes CO
Joshua Carey CO
5 Years
Corey Adams NW
Justin Parkhurst NW
Matthew Maize NW
Scott Smith NW
Nathan Hayes, Jr. NW
William Bray NW
Ian Hill KC
Mohammad Shehada KC
John Matherne SW
Charles Howard CO
Breeze McCracken CO
Justin Wright CO
Deann Wieberg CO
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The following active employee passed away:
Kolby G. Davidson
NW – Apr. 7
The following retirees passed away:
John M. Duckett
CO – Apr. 3
Wilfred Hoecker
CO – May 1
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Charles E. Hudson
CO – Apr. 19
James H. Wekamp
CO – Apr. 19
Joseph Wojtowicz
NW – Apr. 27
John W. Hayes
NE – Apr. 21
Donald R. Rodgers
NE – Apr. 16
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James A. Mullins
CD – Apr. 22
Marvin H. Reinkemeyer
CD – May 1
Johnnie M. Kenison
SL – Apr. 10
James J. Hendrix
SW – Apr. 8
Joseph C. Rickman
SW – Apr. 21
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The mission of Connections is to be a source of MoDOT news
and feature articles that connect employees statewide.
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[email protected]
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MoDOT Communications
P.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, Mo 65102
573-751-2840 | www.modot.org
Editor: Sr. Communications Specialist Bethany Belt
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