Salem 04 April 2020

Salem District Newsletter
Volume 14 Issue 04
April 2020
What’s Inside
• Truck Modification
• New “Coworkers” and
Workspaces
• Employee Profile:
Chad Corns
• Storm Cleanup
Operator Ryan Linthcum (left) and Supervisor Gene Slusser (right) from Hanging Rock AHQ are
patching a hole on Timberview Road in Roanoke County.
TheExtraMile
After seeing news reports about the
shortage of personal protective equipment
(PPE) in hospitals, Traffic Engineer Nathan
O’Kane researched ways he could help. As
someone who has a lot of experience with
3D printers and all the right equipment, he
discovered a face shield design approved
by the National Institute of Health and
went to work.
COVID-19 INNOVATIONS
Nathan reached out to the director of
Carilion Clinic’s Emergency Medicine
Department, Dr. Karen Kuehl, with his idea
of supplying 3D-printed face shields. That
conversation led to coordination with the
Clinic’s Materials Management, Infection
Control, Emergency Medicine and Public
Relations departments to develop an
action plan for distributing them safely into
the hands of healthcare workers.
Nathan O’Kane is wearing one of the face
shields he made using a 3D printer.
“It took a lot of coordination on everyone’s part,” Nathan explained about the initial
approval process. “Now we have a system in place that will hopefully speed up the
implementation in other local hospitals and throughout Virginia.”
Nathan created a Facebook group called “3D Printed PPE Roanoke VA” to invite others
with a 3D printer to join in this effort. He posted design templates in the group so
members could create the same face shields that were approved by Carilion.
cont. pg. 2
NECESSITY OF
INNOVATION
By Ken King, P.E.
Ken.King@VDOT.virginia.gov
I hope you and
your family are
adapting as we
have all been
challenged to
carry out our
activities at work
and home very
differently. It was Plato who
said, “Necessity is the mother of
invention.”
We certainly have experienced
this firsthand as our normal tasks
have been altered by adopting
methods to accomplish them in
new ways. Electronic signatures
and receipts, teleconferences and
video meetings are now a part of
daily life for many of us.
Some of these tools have been in
our discussions about the future at
VDOT, but necessity has caused us
to live out the future today.
cont. pg. 2
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke 1

KING cont.
This is true throughout the
business and economic worlds
as well. Leaders are talking
about how the workplace of the
past may never return because
now we have proven many
new innovations can be used
successfully.
While everyone looks forward
to someday eliminating the
need for social distancing, many
businesses are mapping how new
processes can be ingrained into
the new normal as we move into
the future. I encourage you to
make note of these innovations
and join me in helping to make
them a part of our tomorrow.
It is hard to believe that we are
nearing the end of the fiscal
year. Over the past year, we have
celebrated being the recipient of
the Safety Excellence Award as
we carried the cup to the various
work groups throughout the
district.
I am calling on you again to
make a strong push between
now and the end of the year
to share your safety ideas and
videos and make sure everyone’s
safety training is up to date. We
want the cup to stay in Salem
District again next year.
Whether it’s traffic control in
work zones or social distancing
because of COVID-19, I remind
each of you to keep safety at
the top of your list every day.
While we certainly look
forward to life returning
to a more normal state, I
am so impressed with our
employees who continue to
adapt to the challenges and
find ways to succeed.
I thank you for
overcoming the many
obstacles we face as you
continue to accomplish
the good work of the
district.
-Ken
COVID-19 INNOVATIONS… cont.
“The group started to grow extremely fast. In
the first five days, 78 members joined and we
collectively created 338 shields.”
Now, he says the group is nearly running
itself, and his role is keeping the members
focused on the goals, answering questions
and troubleshooting printer problems.
Nathan estimates that the face shields take
about five hours to print. “If I’m very efficient,
I can make about four or five in one day.” He
said he and members of the group are also
looking at other designs that would increase
production by up to five times.
3D printed face shields created by
Traffic Engineer Steve Mullins
The timing of this initiative was perfect for Nathan because he was already scheduled to
be on vacation. “I was planning to go on a cruise, but it was obviously canceled. Instead,
I have devoted a lot of my time off to this project. It’s not how I expected to spend my
cruise week, but I am thankful for something important to do.”
Other Salem District employees who have joined Nathan’s efforts and are creating face
shields with their 3D printers are Traffic Engineers John Bisnett and Steve Mullins and
Equipment Service Technician Don Campbell.
TRUCK MODIFICATION: ADAPTING TO COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, the safety procedure that prohibits more than one person in a state
vehicle at a time has posed a challenge for the pavement marking crews. “We usually
have two operators in the rear cab at a time, each tracing lines on either side of the
vehicle,” explained District Operations Maintenance Manager Gary Bowman. With only
one operator in the cab at a time, Gary said the time to complete the task would be
doubled.
Using a shower curtain and creativity, Gary and his team improvised. “We came up
with an idea to separate the two operators in the cab by hanging a shower curtain on a
shower rod and holding it in place with Velcro tape and zip ties.” Using the supplies Gary
provided, Crew Leader Bobby Vest and Operators Dwight Boggs and Chris Walker figured
out how to make it work in the truck. “This modification to accomodate social distancing
will allow us to be more efficient when painting lines on the road and and limit our impact
to the traveling public.”
Central Office not only approved of this modification for the Salem District, but they have
also passed along the idea to other districts to be implemented statewide.
Operator Chris Walker is pictured in a paint truck with a shower curtain separating
him from co-worker Dwight Boggs who is on the other side of the cab.
2
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke

NEW “COWORKERS” AND WORKSPACES: ADAPTING TO COVID-19
District Technology Resource
Manager Lisa Reynolds
PIM Financial Program
Coordinator Teri Bondurant
Salem Resident Engineer Ray Varney is using a bedroom
in his home that was converted into an office for his
wife Marie when she worked from home.
Salem Resident Assistant
Engineer Ashley Smith
District Infrastructure
Manager Kristen Williby
Environmental Administrative
Assistant Cindy Crouch
Dean Hackett, Todd Marshall and Darrell Lewis
from the Bridge office enjoy an open-air lunch.
District Contracts Manager
Sandra Bryant
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: CHAD CORNS
When Construction Manager Chad Corns
started as a part time operator in 2002, he
never imagined where his career at VDOT
would take him.
“I remember going to districtwide trainings
and during the introductions everyone
would include how long they had been
working at VDOT. I used to think, ‘Man,
everyone has been here forever.’ It just hit
me that now, when I go to one of these
trainings, I’m one of the guys that has been
here the longest.”
Chad likes to be challenged which is one of
the reasons why he enjoys his new job as
manager in the Northern Construction Area
of the Salem District. “Being in a new role
like this, with so much to learn, makes it
easier to get up and go to work every day.”
In fact, he said that in this line of work, if
you don’t learn something every day, then you’re not doing what
you’re supposed to be doing.
Chad started his new job at the district in March and then
COVID-19 happened. “What’s going on right now is the weirdest
thing I’ve seen since being employed at
VDOT. I’ve seen all the wrecks, the snow
and the roads closed, but this is affecting
VDOT as a whole.” He explained that in
his area, everyone is “business as usual.”
Even though there is a lot of uncertainty
with the virus and the economy, Chad
feels like the public will find comfort in
seeing road work. “I feel like they will
think things are normal.”
Chad’s advice to new VDOT employees is
to listen to the guys and gals who have
been around awhile and look to them as
mentors. “I have had some great mentors
throughout the years, and still do.”
Even in his new position as construction
manager, he leans hard on the folks who
are doing the same job. “They have been
doing this a lot longer than I have.”
Chad is married to Amy who is a teacher at Patrick County High
School. They have two sons, Chance (12) and Reid (10). Chad stays
busy outside of work coaching his sons’ football, basketball and
travel baseball teams.
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke

GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Citizens Express Gratitude for VDOT
“Thank you for taking care of the traffic
hazards on Hunters Creek Road in
Forest.” - D. Daussin, New London AHQ
“Great job of cleaning out the culverts on
Falling Branch Road! Thank you!”
- M. Miller, Christiansburg AHQ
“The mowers did a fantastic job on
Clover Hollow Road. The road looks very
nice.” - P. Pettit, Pearisburg AHQ
“Thank you for the road surface patching
on Kelleys Drive in Floyd. We appreciate
all you do!” - Unknown, Floyd AHQ
“Thank you very much for fixing the road
near Colonial Avenue in Roanoke. We are
very happy with the patching.”
- G. Bronson, Southwest County AHQ
“Thank you for replacing the pipe on
Roger Road at its intersection with Merlin
Spring Lane. We are so grateful! Thank
you VDOT Team!” - B. Graefe, Check AHQ
“Thank you to the crew that cut back
brush and tree limbs on Cottontown
Road. I have never seen such an amazing
job. We are so appreciative of their hard
work. Thank you.”
- C. Wilson, New London AHQ
“Thanks to the VDOT workers for the
excellent job they did laying new gravel
on Belcher Road in Penhook. I have lived
here 14 years and the surface has never
been this smooth. The road looks great.”
- G. Willard, Glade Hill AHQ
“Thank you for the work that was done
on the new culvert across Roger Road in
Floyd County. The road not only drains so
much better, but the work also eliminated
a dangerous narrow spot in the road.
Thank you for all your efforts to maintain
our little road. Hang in there! It is
important work that you are doing!”
- E. Wolf, Check AHQ
“The crew did a great job working on
Meadors Spur Road in Moneta. Thank
you.” - T. Payne, Smith Mountain Lake AHQ
“Kudos to the guys that graded Lonely
Hollow Road in Huddleston. They did a
great job smoothing it out and I really
appreciate their work.”
- W. Ashwell, Smith Mountain Lake AHQ
With Superintendent Larry Weeks
assisting (above, right), Operator
Mike Buckner (left) used a chainsaw
to cut up a tree blocking Valley View
Church Road in Riner. Supervisor
Ronnie Akers used a Gradall (right)
to remove the debris from the road.
STORM CLEANUP
EMPLOYEE UPDATES
New Hires
Christopher J. Branscome, Contract Monitor,
Salem Residency
Nathan M. Hale, Operator, District Sign Shop
Brian C. Arrington, Operator, Glade Hill AHQ
Alexandria H. Chaney, Land Use Engineer,
Christiansburg Residency
James A. Furlong, Business Administrator, Salem
Residency
Troy D. Winchester, Operator, Hanging Rock AHQ
Roy Bryant Jr, Operator, Buchanan AHQ
Bruce J. Monroe, Operator, New London AHQ
Jacob A. Ransome, Operator, Hanging Rock AHQ
Transfers
Stephen R. Phillips Jr, Land Use Engineer, Salem
District
Carless E. Brown, Contract Monitor, Bedford
Residency
Anthony Ford is now overseeing locally-administered programs in
addition to planning, programming and investment management (PIM)
in his new role as Salem District Planning and Investment Manager. He
will be joining two teams to help identify and develop future projects.
After previously leading PIM for about six years, he is looking forward to
putting more of a focused effort on the locally-administered programs.
April was full of surprises including
interesting weather that kept our crews
busy. Storms plowed through the Salem
District causing downed trees and
debris to litter the roadways. On April 9,
Christiansburg AHQ spent the day cleaning
up the aftermath of one such storm.
Transfers Cont’d
Anthony W. Ford, Planning and Investment
Manager, Salem District
David W. Nininger, Crew Leader, Troutville
AHQ
Promotions
Danny W. Bryant, Crew Leader, Buchanan
AHQ
Matthew J. Gillenwater, Crew Leader,
Southwest AHQ
Jordan D. Lamb, Crew Leader, Fancy Gap AHQ
Retirements
Kirk Robertson retired from Burnt Chimney
after 45 years of service.
Johnnie Smith retired from Glade Hill AHQ
after 35 years of service.
Calvin Webb retired from Hillsville AHQ after
42 years of service.
4
Virginia Department of Transportation
Salem District
Office of Communications
731 Harrison Avenue, Salem, VA 24153
Nancy.Simmons@VDOT.Virginia.gov
540-387-5236
©2020 Commonwealth of Virginia