Kansas City Scout's Incident Management Program is On One Accord

eAugust 2009The electronic newsletter of MoDOT District 4, Kansas City AreaMeetings/TrainingTuesday, August 25Northland Area Team Meeting8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Wednesday, August 19District Tracker Meeting9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Room 136Thursday, August 20, Room 236Job StatusCass/Jackson, 8:30 – 10 a.m.Interstates, 10 – 11:30 a.m.Clay/Platte, Noon – 1:30 p.m.Ray/Johnson/Lafayette/Henry,1:30 – 3 p.m.Tuesday, September 1Jackson/Cass Area Team8 to 10 a.m., Room 255EventsMonday, August 17Ribbon Cutting for SAS Route B overKnob Creek south of CreightonMonday, August 24Ribbon Cutting for SAS Route 2 overGrand River east of FreemanMonday, September 7Labor Day--State Offices ClosedRetirementsTuesday, August 25Steve Courtney’s Retirement Celebration1 to 2 p.m., D4 Break RoomThursday, August 27Bill Glazier’s Retirement Celebration1 to 3 p.m., Kearney Maint. Bldg.Thursday, August 27Greg Chapman’s Retirement Celebration11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hometown Buffet8350 N Broadway, KCMOKansas City Scout’s Incident Management Program is OnOne Accordby Gina MylesThe Kansas and Missouri Departments ofTransportationhave been workingwith firstresponders formore than twoyears now as apart of KansasCity Scout’s IncidentManagementProgram,however,on ThursdayJuly 23, thesepartnershipsbecame furthersolidified whenmore than 50metro area fire,law enforcement,towingand recovery,media, motoristassist and otherssigned an updatedOne AccordAgreement.The agreement isa resolution unifyingthese agencies with Scout in Traffic IncidentManagement for the metropolitan KansasCity area. By working together, utilizingthe Scout system’s network of cameras andmessage boards, in conjunction with communicationand collaboration, the IncidentManagement Program has been able to cuttwo hours off the amount of time vehiclesinvolved in anaccident sit onarea freeways.This means youspend less timestuck in traffic.The IncidentManagementProgram isworking sowell that ChiefCorwin of theKansas CityPolice DepartmenthonoredKansas CityScout’s MotoristAssist andEmergencyResponseprograms onFriday, July 24.Chief Corwinpresented aCertificate ofAppreciation toMotorist Assistand Emergency Responsecrews for saving KCPD thousandsof man hours and keeping area motoristssafe. In 2008, the Motorist Assist programresponded to 12,141 calls for servicethat includes handling calls for strandedmotorists and removing road obstructions.These items would normally necessitate aChief Smokey Dyer of the Kansas City FireDepartment is among many that signed theOne Accord AgreementContinued on next pageeConnections electronic newsletter is produced by MoDOT District 4 Public Information, is distributed to employeesand retirees by e-mail, and is archived on the MoDOT intranet. We value your privacy. E-mail addresses will not beshared outside of the econnections newsletter. To receive econnections or submit news, please send e-mail to:kerri.lewis@modot.mo.gov.

KC Scoutcontinued from first pagepolice response. KCPD also relies on MotoristAssist to offer traffic control at crashscenes, increasing the safety for emergencyresponders and motorists involvedin the incident.Leading these efforts is Kansas City RegionIncident Coordinator William “Rusty”James. Sergeant Mahoney of KCPD said,“Rusty James has set the current tone ofcooperation and helpfulness for whichthese MODOT crews have becomeknown.” You’ve probably seen MotoristAssist patrolling Kansas City interstatesand freeways assisting stranded motoristsor perhaps they aided you in your time ofneed. This program provides an invaluableservice to KCPD and to motorists travellingon KC area freeways.Emergency responders from across thedistrict were present to sign the agreement.Above, Deputy Chief Mike Caseyfrom Overland Park Fire Departmentadds his name to the list of many.Thank you, MODOT Motorist Assist and Emergency ResponseI gave a Certificate of Appreciation to some folks who have saved police hundreds of thousands of man-hours and kept areadrivers safe. You’ve probably seen them around on area highways, helping motorists stuck in a bind. The responsiveness ofthe Missouri Department of Transportation’s Motorist Assist and Emergency Response crews has been invaluable to KCPD.Motorist Assist crews routinely handle calls that would otherwise necessitate a police response, such as stranded motoristsand road obstructions. Sergeant William Mahoney said officers also rely upon them to assist police and help with traffic controlat crash scenes. In 2008 alone, MODOT’s Motorist Assist program handled 12,141 calls for service in Kansas City. That’sjust amazing.Emergency Response crews have saved the department countless hours by responding to major crash scenes in place ofofficers. Sergeant Mahoney said they also bring superior lighting and warning equipment to improve the margin of safety atcrash scenes. They responded to 1,616 incidents on Kansas City highways last year.Leading these efforts is Kansas City Region Incident Coordinator William “Rusty” James. Sergeant Mahoney said, “RustyJames has set the current tone of cooperationand helpfulness for which theseMODOT crews have become known.”So thank you, MODOT MotoristAssist and Emergency ResponseCrews. Kansas City highways and thepeople who drive them are much saferbecause of the work you do.page 2

Your Health HeadquartersFUN Health Conscious Events:August 15: A family friendly bike rideat 10:00 am on the Mill Creek StreamwayTrail.August 28: Par 3 Golf Scramble at theFred Arbanas Golf Course at LongviewLakeSeptember 1: Deadline to sign up forthe Corporate Challenge. Please contactMary Miller or Mark Sommerhauser formore detailsThe MoDOT Health Challenge Teamis sponsoring a tennis “ladder” whereemployees can challenge each other to agame of tennis after work or over a weekend.The goal is to get some great exercisewhile having fun. The Health ChallengeTeam will track the results and keepa “ladder” which will show who the topmale and female tennis player for MoDOTis currently.If you are interested in getting more exerciseby playing tennis this summer, thencontact Mark Sommerhauser at 622-0685or by email at karsten.sommerhauser@modot.mo.gov.Try These Healthy Recipes:It is that time of year where your gardenis overrun with healthy veggies, andmany are no stranger to zucchinis. Don’tknow what to do with them all? Insteadof tossing them to the dog for a chew toyor making a mess in the trash, try thesehealthy recipes to use your supply thanksto Cooking Light.Parmesan Zucchini Sticks with SmokyRoasted Romesco SauceIngredientsSauce:3 medium red bell peppers2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise1/2 cup (1/2-inch) cubed French breadbaguette, crusts removed1 1/2 tablespoons smoked almonds1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or redwine vinegar1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper1 large garlic cloveZucchini:3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)1 cup dry breadcrumbs1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated freshParmesan cheese1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly groundblack pepper1/2 cup egg substituteCooking sprayPreparation1. Preheat broiler.2. To prepare sauce, cut bell peppersin half lengthwise; discard seeds andmembranes. Place bell pepper halves andtomatoes, skin sides up, on a foil-linedbaking sheet; flatten bell peppers withhand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened.Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Letstand 15 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop,reserving any liquid.3. Combine bell peppers, reservedliquid, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients(through garlic) in a blender or food processor;process until smooth.4. Preheat oven to 400°.5. To prepare zucchini, cut 1 zucchiniin half crosswise; cut each half lengthwiseinto 8 wedges. Repeat procedure with remainingzucchini. Combine breadcrumbs,panko, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, andblack pepper in a shallow dish. Dip zucchiniin egg substitute; dredge in breadcrumbmixture. Place zucchini on a wirerack coated with cooking spray. Lightlycoat zucchini with cooking spray. Bakeat 400° for 25 minutes or until goldenbrown. Serve immediately with sauce.Nutritional InformationCalories:170 (30% from fat)Fat:5.6g (sat 1.3g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.3g)Protein:8.4gCarbohydrate:23.4gFiber:3.9gCholesterol:3mgIron:1.9mgSodium:434mgCalcium:107mgMore than 28,000 peopleattended the Susan G. KomenRace for the Cure onAugust 9 at Union Station.Zucchini-Walnut Loaf3/4 cup whole-wheat flour3/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg2 large egg whites, at room temperature1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup Splenda SugarBlend for Baking1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce2 tablespoons canola oil1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)1 cup grated zucchini, lightly packed(about 8 ounces)2 tablespoons chopped walnuts1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 mini6-by-3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purposeflour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.3. Whisk egg whites, sugar (or Splenda),applesauce, oil and lemon extract (if using)in a medium bowl. Stir in zucchini.4. Make a well in the dry ingredients;slowly, mix in the zucchini mixture witha rubber spatula. Fold in walnuts. Do notovermix. Transfer the batter to the preparedpans.5. Bake the loaves until a toothpickcomes out almost clean, 40 to 45 minutes.Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about5 minutes, then turn out onto the rack tocool completely.NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per slice:118 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono);0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 2 gprotein; 1 g fiber; 88 mg sodium.Debbie Huffman, LindaMallot, Dennis Francis,Leann Francis, SusanNelson, Mary Miller, ChrisRedline, Daniel Allred,Amy Nash, Glenda Saunders and Lindsay Vogt participated as MoDOTrepresentatives during this worth while event.Page 3

From the DistrictEngineerDear D4 friends,We have received the draftBeth Wright,numbers for the 2009 CustomerDistrict EngineerSatisfaction Survey and wehave reason to celebrate!! Seventy-eightpercent (78%) of our citizens are satisfiedwith the job MoDOT is doing in District4!! This is up from 65% in 2008. Thatis a 13% increase, the largest increase incustomer satisfaction in the state!Thanks to everyone for your focus oncustomer satisfaction. Your hard work haspaid off and it required everyone in thedistrict to look for better ways of provideoutstanding customer service and satisfaction.We have implemented departmentand regional WOWs, we have found newways to communicate with the publicthrough on-line meetings, we have visitedfestivals and fairs to listen to customerconcerns and numerous other items thathave made a difference every day. Thanksfor the great result! I am proud to workwith each and every person in District 4and I truly appreciate your “One TeamMoDOT” efforts!Take care, work safe and watch out foreach other!Best regards,BethkcICON Project Team Celebrates FirstInterchange Ramp OpeningInterstate 29/35 Off-ramp to Armour Road Opens 33 Days Aheadof Scheduleby Jennifer BenefieldThe kcICON Project design-build team held a grand opening celebrationTuesday, July 28, 2009, at the base of the new Armour Road off-ramp fromsouthbound Interstate 29/35, marking project progress in North Kansas City.Speakers included North Kansas City Mayor Bill Biggerstaff, Paseo CorridorConstructors Project Manager Bryan Wilkerson, Harrah’s Casino GeneralManager Tom Cook, Chairman of the Missouri Highways and TransportationCommission David Gach, and MoDOT’s kcICON Project Director BrianKidwell. Joe James, President of the North Kansas City Business Councilemceed the event.The project is 51 percent constructed and is on schedule to be completedby July 2011. “As we have been here for the day-to-day construction, withall the closures and openings, we are pleased to be at a mid-point in constructionwhere we get a chance to see the progress,” said Assistant NorthKansas City Administrator and kcICON Community Advisory Group memberMike Smith. “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”TOP: Pictured from left to right: BrianKidwell, Bryan Wilkerson, David Gach,Joe James, and Tom Cook.Looking up the new off-ramp fromsouthbound Interstate 29/35 to ArmourRd. With the traditional cloverleafdesign removed, the new configurationfeatures a longer ramp that can accommodatemore vehicles and operatesmore efficiently.econnections sourcesConstruction Bev Chrisco, 6341Design Flo Noear, 0455Regional Counsel LeAnn Francis, 6382Administration Judy Magruder, 6309General Services Toni Terry, 0056Human Resources Belinda Fite, 6321Right of Way Melbra Taylor, 6351Traffic Melanie Lanigan, 0419Editor Kerri Lewis, 6328News from Across the DistrictCondolences:Our thoughts and prayers go to the family of MoDOT retiree, Billy Montgomery, on hispassing Thursday, July 2. Billy retired as a Senior Construction Inspector at the TrumanRoad Construction Office and dedicated 37 years of service to MoDOT.Our thoughts and prayers also go to Dan Hasting, Senior Right of Way Specialist, andhis family on the loss of his wife, Janet on July 8.Our deepest condolences also go out to JoAnn MacKay, I.S. Technician, and her familyon the loss of her father Joseph M. Bonomo on Saturday, August 8.page 4

Its Paying Offby Chris RedlineAs many of you know, we have embarkedon an education campaignregarding engine idling and the benefitsof shutting your vehicle off. We remotelymonitor about 30 Heavy Duty trucks.Based on the information pulled fromthese vehicles, we have reduced engineidling from about 30% of total enginehours in April down to approximately20 percent of engine hours in June. Thismay not seem like much, but when takenacross our entire Heavy Duty fleet, thisamounts to over 800 gallons of dieselsaved in just the month of June. That isgreat news. For folks who drive cars andpickups, it is just as important not to idlegasoline engines.Every dollar we don’t spend on fuelgoes to purchase roadway materials,so keep shutting them down whenyou can. Shutting the engine downalso saves wear and tear, associatedrepair costs, and down time. I believe20 percent idling is too high and westill have room to reduce and providemore cash to repair more roads. If youhave any questions about idling, pleasecontact me, an equipment technicianor a equipment technician supervisor.Thanks, keep up the great work, and besafe.Common Facts about Idling• An idling diesel engine uses between.5 and .65 gallons per hour• The newer warranties are based onhours not miles• Low RPM rates for extended periodsof time cause more blow-by, whichdegrades the engine oil quicker• Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) willclog with too muck idling and truckperformance will be compromisedCommon Myths about Idling• Continually turning a truck off andon harms diesel engines.• Moving down the road at lowRPM’s with an engine not heated up tomanufacturer recommendations causesharm to the engine.• It takes more fuel to start a dieselengine than to just let it idle.From the DirectorDear Team MoDOT:I am pleased to tell you that insurance costs for active employeesand retirees will only increase a very modest 4% in the monthlypremiums next year. The Commission’s costs have increaseddramatically over the last ten years just as the rest of the nation hasexperienced. In 2000, the Commission’s contributions were $28.3million and projected to be $82 million in 2010.Here’s what to expect:Out-of-Pocket Premium ChangesEmployee Category Current Effective January1, 2010Employee Only $11 $12EE + Spouse $159 $166EE + Family $180 $187EE + 1 Child $84 $88EE+ 2 Children $158 $164More good news! There will be no changes to your medical benefits for 2010. Thedeductibles, co-payments, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums will remain thesame next year.The Commission and the MoDOT/MSHP Medical and Life Insurance Plan Board ofTrustees have also approved a change in out-of-pocket premiums for those employeesenrolled in the “spouse contribution” rate categories effective January 1, 2010. Employeesenrolled in these categories also have a spouse who is either a MoDOT or Missouri StateHighway Patrol active employee or retiree. While out-of-pocket premiums will now becharged for these categories, the rates will still be substantially less than employees whodo not have spouses who are employed or retired from either agency. The two activeemployee rate categories are provided below.Employee Category Current Effective January1, 2010EE + Spouse $0 $24EE + Family $0 $50The Commission believes health care is an important employee benefit. This modestincrease in premiums allows the Commission to continue to provide a valuable employeebenefit while balancing the needs of our transportation system with our operating costs.You will be getting more information on these changes in the 2010 enrollmentinformation that will be mailed to your home in the next few weeks. In the meantime, ifyou have any questions, please contact your Employee Benefits representative.Thanks for all you do!PetePete RahnMoDOT Directorpage 5