Several MoDOT “roadies” toured 2,200 miles of Missouri roadways the department promised to make Smoother, Safer, Sooner by the end of December – one year ahead of the original schedule. 

Several senior management staff took turns touring the state, beginning Aug. 18, in an extended maroon van to measure how the roads look and how they feel by the seat of their pants. The group discovered that all work is going as planned with only a few minor problems that will be fixed by the end of the year and well within the proposed budget.

“Since we rode in an extended van, the person who sat in the back could feel every little bump,” said State Maintenance Engineer Jim Carney. “We could definitely tell the difference between the treated roads and the roads that still need work.”

The tour wrapped up in the St. Louis area, with staff sometimes driving for up to 624 miles at a time.  Members of various divisions rode along to check on different aspects of the progress. State Traffic Engineer Eileen Rackers focused on striping and signing, Carney checked for clear zones and maintenance concerns and State Construction and Materials Engineer Dave Alhvers made sure the contractors are doing their job. 

“Our biggest concern right now is getting all the striping done by our deadline,” Rackers said. “Striping is the final step to finishing the project, so all the construction work must be done beforehand. The weather also plays a part in when we can stripe.”

Members of various media outlets also rode along in the van in several areas throughout the state, including the north central area, southwest area and at the kickoff event on Route 63 between Jefferson City and Columbia.

“The media reaction has been very positive,” Hillis said. “They were able to ride along with us and see first hand what we’ve accomplished.”