MoDOT Mourns Employee Killed in Work Zone

On Aug. 15 in St. Louis, Motorist Assist Operator Ken Hoierman was killed in the line of duty while assisting emergency response units on Interstate 55 in South County. He was the 73rd MoDOT worker killed in a work zone-related crash since 1945, and the 20th in the past 20 years. Hoierman was a 15-year MoDOT veteran and a motorist assist operator for 11 years. He was a certified CPR instructor for MoDOT. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family on their tragic loss.

MoDOT Director Urges Prosecutor to Press Charges In Death of Employee

MoDOT Director Pete Rahn today urged St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McColloch to press charges against the driver who struck and killed Motorist Assist Operator Ken Hoierman. Charges

“Seat Of Your Pants” Tour To Travel 2,200 Miles

To ensure highway improvements are progressing as promised, MoDOT staff will drive 2,200 miles of Missouri ’s busiest highways being made smoother with Amendment 3 funding. MoDOT has committed to completing the work by Dec. 31, 2006, one full year early. Pants Tour

New Tracker Tackles Transportation System Challenges

An updated Tracker document is using the latest data and evaluations to analyze Missouri’s transportation system. The publication contains 112 performance measures that help determine whether Missourians are getting a good return on their transportation investment and where improvements are needed. Tracker

MoDOT, MDA Waive Fees for Hay Hauling Permits

Extreme weather conditions this summer have resulted in a widespread hay shortage. The Missouri departments of Transportation and Agriculture (MDA) are working to help Missouri's farmers cope with the situation. At the request of MDA, MoDOT is waiving the fee for blanket permits to haul wide loads of hay through Dec. 31 on loads up to 12 feet, four inches wide that are of legal height, length and weight. Fees

You Drink & Drive. You Lose. Crackdown Begins

"You Drink & Drive. You Lose.” is the message of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. The statewide campaign began Aug. 16 with an advertising campaign and will be supported with increased enforcement of Missouri’s impaired driving laws. Increased enforcement begins Aug. 18 and runs through Sept. 4, including the Labor Day holiday. You Lose

New Booster Seat Law Will Help Save Lives

A new booster seat law effective Aug. 28 will help keep older children safer in motor vehicles. It requires a child to be in a booster seat between the ages of four through seven, unless the child weighs at least 80 pounds or is at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. It also increases the fine for those who do not properly restrain children to $50 plus court costs. Boost and Buckle

Work Release Program Benefits MoDOT and Inmates

The Missouri Department of Corrections’ work release program has more than 65 incarcerated crews that spend more than 133,000 hours a year removing litter. The work done by incarcerated crews saves MoDOT time and resources, allowing transportation crews to perform other much-needed tasks. Crews

Students Show How They CAN Make Missouri Litter-free

Savannah middle school students were awarded the grand prize this spring for their submission in the first-ever “Yes, you ‘CAN’ make Missouri litter-free” trash can decorating contest. The contest challenged kindergarten through eighth-grade students to communicate a litter-prevention message by decorating a 33-gallon or larger trash can. Can

Litterbugs Risk Hunting, Fishing License Suspension

If you plan on going hunting or fishing this season, make sure that you properly dispose of your trash. In addition to the costly effects on the environment, littering can lead to loss of hunting and fishing privileges, according to a recent policy established by the Missouri Conservation Commission. Littering

Check Out Your Connections

The latest issue of Connections, MoDOT's monthy employee newsletter, is now online. For statewide and local transportation news, make the connection! Connections Online

Please forward this e-mail to anyone interested in Missouri transportation news. If someone has forwarded this e-mail to you and you would like to subscribe, go to www.modot.org and click on the Express Lane button.