Around the District

Construction projects abound through District 4. It is the busiest construction season District 4 has ever had! Every county has projects in process. Review some of the most current projects for your county that are under construction. 

Missourians Speak Up about Minor Roads and MoDOT Listens

This past summer, MoDOT went straight to the source: Missouri drivers. The department conducted an informal "Roadway Review" with the mission to find out what Missourians expect from the roadways and identify the features that drivers think are most important.

The good news is that MoDOT not only heard, but responds. "We asked our residents for feedback for a reason," said Chris Redline, Assistant District Engineer. "Now that our major highways are in good overall condition, we are able to start answering those concerns with action on the minor roadways"

Missouri has many minor roads --- 27,000 miles of the state’s 32,900 miles – and 20 percent of all travel happens on these roads. While funding to repair every crack and crevice is simply not available, smart use of taxpayer dollars has allowed the department to undertake an additional $144 million worth of work on some of the state's worst highways.  More than 1,500 miles of lettered and smaller numbered routes will be smoother and safer thanks to the added work throughout the state. These improvements are based on feedback directly from Missouri drivers.

Overall, surveyors found that most drivers are satisfied with the major Missouri highways. But for the minor roads, the picture was less positive. In fact, in District 4 the condition of our minor roads, the less traveled roads, is 56% good. Some of the factors that citizens are most concerned with include:

• Physical condition of the road
• Smoothness of the road surface
• Width of the lane and the outside shoulders

Review all the active minor road projects for District 4, as well as how much each costs, on the Road Work link on www.modot.org/kansascity.

Move Those Cones! 163rd Street Opens to Traffic

Progress is a beautiful thing -- especially for commuters along the 71 Corridor. On Dec. 17, drivers along this route will find a new interchange among their midst at 163rd.

This $13 million transportation project included widening 163rd Street with turn lanes and signals to move traffic into and out of Belton. Two new bridges, new ramps and new pavement on Route 71 offer many years of minimal maintenance, saving both taxpayer money and motorists’ time.

The 163rd Street interchange is among three projects under way for a robust future along the Route 71 corridor. Route 150 interchange to the north will be completed a year from now. The new North Cass Parkway interchange to the south will open next summer.

These three interchange improvements will pull traffic away from the highly congested Route 58 interchange, which means improved traffic flow on Route 58 – a highway of commerce shared by Belton and Raymore.

These improvements provide additional foundation for continued economic growth.

But it’s not merely growth that is important. It is vitality and economic sustainability for the community, our region and our state. These improvements – and those soon to be completed to our north and south – are pieces that will enhance MoDOT’s efforts to improve the Route 71 corridor to interstate standards in the next decade.

Mind the Meter! Ramp Meters are Up and Running in Missouri

If you drive the 435 corridor between Kansas and Missouri, you may have noticed an unusual sight: Stop lights where stop lights don’t usually go. In fact, a series of green and red lights have been set up at on-ramps from Metcalf Avenue to 103rd Street for the past few weeks.

On Tuesday, Nov. 24, those ramp meters went live!

The meters – a system supported by Kansas City Scout -- are actually special traffic signals that regulate the rate at which vehicles enter the freeway from the on-ramps. Ramp metering is proven to decrease congestion by maximizing the flow on the freeways.

The concept of metering traffic is not new. In its earliest form, police officers would stop traffic and release cars one-by-one onto the highway. The first electronic system was installed in 1963 on the Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago.

"The system is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it,” said Mark Sommerhauser, project manager for Kansas City Scout. “After a few times through it, you have it all figured out.”

As with any new, or different traffic program, there is a bit of a learning curve. Here are some tips to make sure the meters work for you:

• Pull all the way up to the white stop bar marking on the pavement.
• “Stop Here on Red,” is where you need to stop so pavement sensors will detect your car and cycle from red to green.

• Keep your eye on the lower signal head, which is in the drivers line of sight, to tell you when to proceed.

• At two-lane ramps, pay attention to the signal designated for your lane.

• Pay attention to the lane assignments and signs that designate “one car per green” or “two cars per green.” It is a traffic violation if the designation is for one car to proceed on green and a motorist in the second car proceeds through the green light as well

• A dark signal means go! When the ramp meters are dark, proceed down the ramp as you normally would at an unmetered ramp.

Click the video link to see how easy it is! For more information, visit KC Scout online.

Safe & Sound Ramping Up for Spring and Summer Work

In October, District 4 commemorated the 100th bridge completed under the historic Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Project. With more than 800 bridges slated for replacement in the next four years, that 100 was just a drop in the bucket.

 There are still nearly 700 more bridges to go so chances are excellent that one or more bridges in your area will be replaced under the “Safe & Sound” program in the near future.     

This past summer, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission selected KTU Constructors to replace 554 bridges across the state in the next four years through a Design-Build contract. KTU committed to completing all the  bridges by Oct. 31, 2014. The majority of bridges will be closed during construction for an average of 45 days. The remaining bridges will either be built in stages or use bypasses to minimize impacts to motorists. 

So that leads to the question: Which bridges will be closed in my part of town this year?

Check out the interactive map on http://safeandsoundmap.modot.mo.gov/sas.htm. Click on future commitments to see all the bridges scheduled for the next two years.

Also, review the county-by-county list of all bridges closing this year. This site includes before and after photos, updated detours and status reports for bridges under construction.

From Turf to Rumble Stripes

Local residents are used to the familiar sign buried in the ground, “Auction this week.” In recession, sometimes the signs are a little more prevelant. In good times, they are a little less.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is in the business of a lot of things, from building roads to plowing snow. But many people don't know that buying and selling land is one of them.

In November, the department tried a new tactic to sell property it no longer needs. The agency is called the effort a blitz – an all-out effort to sell multiple properties across the state in a short period of time.

The difference between a MoDOT auction and others is that funds go back into roadway projects that benefit Missouri drivers.

Occasionally, after Right of Way is purchased for a project, the land exceeds need. In the past few years, the department has begun an aggressive campaign to sell excess property.

In fiscal year 2008, MoDOT sold 112 properties at a value of more than $4.4 million. In District 4, eight properties generated more than $628,000 -- funds which were immediately put back into projects that serve the driving public.

From this most recent blitz, 16 properties sold for $668,190 --- more than $81,000 from District 4.

"Our goal was to sell a fairly large number of properties in a concentrated amount of time," said Gregory Wood, Realty to Roads Project Director in MoDOT's Right of Way Division.  "We wanted to draw attention to the fact we have property for sale and get land we're no longer using in the hands of owners who can put it to good use. The money from the sales goes to fund needed road and bridge projects."

The department is planning another blitz for this spring. For a list of properties currently open for sale, visit Realty to Roads site on www.modot.org

Monster Manitowoc to Top Off Bond Bridge

A massive crane capable of extending 385 feet skyward arrived at the kcICON Project late-evening Tuesday, October 27. The Manitowoc 7000 will be used by Paseo Corridor Constructors to build the remaining upper third of the Christopher S. Bond Bridge center pylon. It is rare for a crane this size to be used for construction in an inland waterway.

The 7000 was too large to travel by roadway, and was pushed in pieces on two barges by tugboat to the river bridge construction site. Fully extended for this project, the crane boom measures 325 feet long with a 60-foot jib. The 7000 will sit on a steel ring, allowing the boom to swivel as it finishes the 316-foot center pylon. This ringer crane will be used to lift loads 80,000 pounds or less, and is so large, that it requires a counterweight of 552,000 pounds before any load is added.

A barge was specially fabricated at the Corn Island Shipyard in Tell City, IN to carry the crane. The 7000 was shipped by sea from Holland over a month ago. After use on multiple projects in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the crane was purchased by Massman Construction Co., headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. for specific use on this project. The Manitowoc 7000 is only one of six built by the Manitowoc company.

Click on the photo to see the "Search for the Manitowoc" video.

Additional information is available on the project's Web site: www.kcicon.com

'Tis the Season to Drive Safe

Cooler weather leads to a new list of driving concerns. In addition to the snow and ice, migratory patterns and holiday joy offer more reasons to drive with extra care.

Let it Snow

Last year, MoDOT spent approximately $41 million on snow and ice removal . More than 3,000 employees spent more than 465,639 hours using the 1,650 snow-removal vehicles.  Here are some tips for driving safe:

• Turn on headlights to see and be seen. Avoid quick starts, stops and fast turns.
• Do not slam on brakes. Apply steady pressure on ABS-equipped vehicles.
• Use extra caution on bridges, ramps, overpasses and shaded areas.
• Reduce speed. Speed limits are based on normal road and weather conditions, not winter road conditions
• Keep at least three car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you.
• Never follow too close behind a snow plow and always use caution when passing. They don't have the same visibility as a car or truck.
• If you don't have to go, stay home. But if you must get out, check weather and road conditions on MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map before you go.

Through the Woods

When it comes to snow, ice, freezing rain, we know that cautious driving is important. But what about other obstacles? For example did you know there were more than 3,000 collisions with deer last year on Missouri's highways?

Although some accidents with deer are unavoidable, you can take extra precautions to reduce the chance of striking these agile but unpredictable animals.

• Be prepared for deer to cross or dart into a road at any time, particularly around dusk and dawn.
• Use your high beams if other cars aren't approaching.
• If you encounter a deer, sound your horn and slow down or stop until the animal passes.

Finally, remember to stay alert, slow down and buckle up. Most people injured in deer-vehicle collisions weren't wearing a seat belt.

Have Yourself a Merry Little …

Holiday festivities sometimes slosh over into Holiday drunk driving. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, “between midnight and 3 a.m., 75 percent of speeding drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking.”

Even if you are not involved in a crash, consider the consequences if you are caught driving while intoxicated: suspended or revoked license, thousands of dollars in fines, and jail time.

When you are out with friends, offer to be the designated driver. Click on the designated driver gift card to create a nice present for a friend.

There is really only one preventative measure against drinking and driving: Don’t do it.

MoDOT’s safety site has information on everything from pulling out of a skid or passing a snow plow to driving through a work zone or pedestrian safety. Check it out at http://www.modot.org/kansascity/safe_driving.htm

But always remember to buckle up, take your time and Arrive Alive!