News & Events

2015 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) Conference

The 2015 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) conference was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 26-30, 2015.  The Missouri Department of Transportation received the “Innovations in Outdoor Advertising Control” award.   

In 2010, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) organized a team of outdoor advertising permit specialists to research GPS equipment and develop a process for obtaining GPS coordinates and other sign data. The team recommended purchasing the Trimble Geo XT, TruPulse Laser, and Ricoh Digital Camera.

MoDOT decided to utilize the six permit specialists located throughout thestate to collect the data and purchased three complete sets of equipment to be shared throughout the state to gather GPS, sign size and photo data on approximately 11,140 permitted signs. Beginning in July 2011, and completed by December 2015 (3 months ahead of the goal), the team captured data on all active outdoor advertising signs. Specialists will continue to collect data and upload the information into MoDOT’s Transportation Management System (TMS), using this innovative and highly accurate new process as new permitted signs are built.

2013 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) Conference

The 2013 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) conference was held in Savannah, Georgia, April 14-16, 2013.  Jessica Sawyer, Outdoor Advertising Permit Specialist, received the “Chairman’s Award in Outdoor Advertising Control.” 

The 2013 recipient of the Chairmen's Award is Jessica Sawyer of Missouri DOT. For demonstrating strong leadership skills in meeting challenges of the OAC program through her dedicated work, commitment and support of the National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA). Jessica was elected as Chairman of NAHBA in 2011 and serviced until 2012. During that time, she worked with FHWA and state DOTs to disseminate information on OAC issues, initiated conference calls and webinars to help assist in the sharing of idea to improve the OAC, and assisted in the resolution of OAC concerns. She has exhibited commitment to the improvement of the OAC program by encouraging and suggesting surveys and polling of the membership to better understand OAC issues. Jessica has been in OAC since 1997 as a permit specialist with the Southwest Missouri Department of Transportation. She has helped draft outdoor advertising regulations as well as having taught Outdoor Advertising Control classes to municipalities, industry and fellow DOT partners.

2012 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) Conference

The 2012 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) conference was held in Spokane, Washington, August 19-21, 2012.  Jenny Hall, Outdoor Advertising Specialist, received the “Chairman’s Award in Outdoor Advertising Control.”

Jenny has been serving as the webmaster for NAHBA’s website since 2009.  Jenny continuously makes updates and changes that enhance the NAHBA website, including creating a Facebook page for NAHBA.  Jenny never hesitates to ‘step to the plate’ when NAHBA website requests are made, and she keeps the website up-to-date with current information.  Word has it Jenny often works on the website on her personal time, and Jenny has saved NAHBA costs they previously paid for an outside contractor to provide this website service.  Jenny definitely meets criteria set out to be nominated for, and receive, the Chairman’s Award in Outdoor Advertising Control.

2010 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) Conference

The 2010 National Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies (NAHBA) conference was held in Madison, Wisconsin, August 15-18, 2010.  The Missouri Department of Transportation received the “Innovations in Outdoor Advertising Award”.

In order to effectively and efficiently control outdoor advertising in Missouri, an outdoor advertising inventory system was created within MoDOT's Transportation Management System (TMS). TMS stores various travelway related data collected by the state including bridge, safety, traffic, billboard, junkyards, Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) information, and right of way parcel acquisition.

In 2009, the ODA inventory system moved from a client-server based application to a web-based application allowing for increased management and search capabilities, as well as field utilization. This allows MoDOT to have high availability for business continuity, and saves MoDOT many thousands of dollars in server hardware and yearly maintenance costs. Missouri's ODA program has drastically improved with the utilization of TMS.