2011 budget summary - St. Louis County

Department ofHighways and TrafficSheryl L. Hodges, D.E., P.E., L.P.G., Directorwww.stlouisco.com/hwyweb314‐615‐8501OVERVIEWDepartment MissionTo provide a safe, modern, well‐maintainedroadway system that can adapt to local, regionaland national transportation needs.Strategic Priorities Maintain Missouri’s second‐largest network ofroads. Pursue all possible sources of revenue toachieve the five‐year Capital ConstructionProgram and Long‐Range Transportation Plan. Develop effective preservation and capitalconstruction programs to minimize the impactof budget reductions. Plan, design and construct projects thatemphasize, facilitate or promote access toopportunity, sustainable development, efficientmovement of goods, preservation ofinfrastructure, congestion management andsafety and security in travel. Maintain modern, economical fleet equipmentfor County use.Department Products and ServicesThe department consists of six primary servicedivisions. Through these divisions, the departmentmaintains approximately 3,100 lane miles ofroadway in unincorporated and incorporated St.Louis County. Only Missouri’s Department ofTransportation (MoDOT) maintains more lane milesthan St. Louis County. Employees fill potholes, plowsnow, spread salt, sweep, remove hazardous treesand limbs from the public right‐of‐way, replaceworn‐out culverts, mow, remove litter, stripe lanes,maintain more than 800 traffic signals, manufactureand install signs, perform concrete replacement andother preservation activities and inspect andmaintain 186 bridges. The department conductstraffic studies, develops traffic mitigationWoodson Road bridge improvements just north of I‐170.strategies, designs new roads, bridges andsidewalks, oversees, through constructioninspection, major contractor projects, surveys forprojects, performs testing of construction materials,negotiates right‐of‐way acquisitions, approves ordenys requests to perform activities on the publicright‐of‐way, prioritizes long‐term major roadwayneeds, conducts informational public hearings onproposed, major projects, identifies, pursues andobtains alternative funding sources and developsand maintains an operating and capital budget thataddresses short and long term goals and needs asfunding permits. The department keeps 3,400County‐owned vehicles and other engine‐poweredequipment running smoothly, manages parking for2,400 vehicles, and maintains 2 County‐ownedparking garages. Additionally, the departmentperforms a variety of personnel, informationtechnology, budget and supply acquisition functionsthat enables the department to effectively andprofessionally function.To provide enhanced customer service as well ascomprehensive project and program management,the Department of Highways and Traffic functions incombination with the Department of Public Works.The blended departments are under the direction ofthe same Director.- 118 -