Annual Report
to Legislature Outlines MoDOT's Accomplishments, Needs
JEFFERSON
CITY - The Missouri Department of Transportation has issued its
annual report to state lawmakers. The report details department
finances and activities for the past fiscal year (July 1, 2003
- June 30, 2004), as well as upcoming project and budget commitments.
"The past fiscal year was one of both challenges and opportunities
for us," said Pete Rahn, MoDOT's new director. "We have
a big job, and it's clear to me we do a lot of things right, but
we also face many challenges. That's the message in this
report."
State
law requires MoDOT to submit the report to the governor, lieutenant
governor and legislators before Nov. 10 of each year. The
document outlines where MoDOT's money comes from and where it's
spent. It also lists completed and future projects and
costs.
"Most
people just want to know what we're doing to deliver a smooth
drive and get people where they're going safely and without delays,
and that's what we've spelled out in this report," Rahn said.
"However, we still have many needs, and those are explained,
too."
Highlights
of the report include:
•
An independent audit of the department's financial statements
gave MoDOT its highest rating for the fifth straight year.
•
MoDOT and its contractors completed 359 construction projects
within four percent of the project estimates even with rising
oil, steel and concrete prices.
•
The department saved $3.8 million by
rejecting bids in excess of project estimates and rebidding them.
•
A new bidding process that allows
contractors to use either concrete or asphalt saved the state
between $2.25 million and $4.2 million on the first 16 projects
bid this way.
•
MoDOT awarded more than 1,200 miles of roadway resurfacing projects.
•
To minimize driving delays, MoDOT performed more
than 170 projects that required lane closures at night or during
off-peak hours.
•
To increase safety, the department installed more than 100 miles
of three-strand guard cable on the interstate system to reduce
the number of crashes caused by vehicles crossing the median.
MoDOT also spent more than $24 million to install lights,
add rumble strips, put in traffic signals and upgrade intersections
to make driving safer.
•
A University of Missouri-Columbia study conducted in fiscal year
2004 showed that motorist assist efforts in the St. Louis area
reduced vehicle delays by 188,677 hours, decreased secondary crashes
on I-70 and I-270 by 456 and saved $16.4 million, or $16 for every
$1 spent.
•
MoDOT's Click It or Ticket campaign
helped increase seat belt use in Missouri by three percent, from
73 percent in 2003 to 76 percent in 2004. The
increase in belt use prevented 23 fatalities and 516 injuries
and resulted in an economic savings of more than $58 million.
•
During the year, MoDOT received numerous state and national awards
for its innovative and cost-saving work.
For
a copy of the complete report click here: 2004
Accountability Report, or call 1-888-ASK-MODOT.
