Bristol District Newsletter oct.dec 2020

Shown above is the new KASK style of helmet, replacing tradional hard hats.
In VDOT’s connuing commitment to safety, the
tradional construcon-style hard hats worn by field
employees will be phased out and replaced by new KASK
Zenith High Visibility helmets.
Tradional hard hats, while effecve at protecng
workers against falling objects and other overhead
hazards, did not perform well in mul-impact
incidents. VDOT has recorded a number of incidents in
which workers fell or were struck by force and the
helmet came loose, resulng in addional injuries.
The first round of KASK helmets were issued in
September to bridge crews, bridge inspectors and signal
technicians. Hard hat distribuon connues within the
Bristol District . Moving forward, the new KASK helmet
will be required for all field employees.
The new KASK helmet provides beer protecon for
all sides of the head and remains secure during
tumbling and when mulple impacts occur.
Another benefit of the KASK helmet is a greater
lifespan -- double that of the tradional hard hat --
making this new PPE a sound, long-term investment.
Commissioner Stephen Brich displays one of the new KASK hard hats.

The tallest bridges in Virginia, located in Buchanan County, opened to traffic November 16. The opening
marks a major milestone in the effort to build a new transportaon corridor in the Appalachian region.
Located near Breaks Interstate Park, Route 460 Connector Phase I is the first poron of federallydesignated
Corridor Q in Virginia between Grundy and Kentucky to open to traffic. The twin bridges over
Grassy Creek are 265-feet high and 1,733-feet long. In addion to the bridges, the project includes an
access ramp and bridge over Hunts Creek and Route 768 to access Route 80 and nearby Breaks Interstate
Park.
The project began as a design-build project in 2009, awarded to Bizzack Construcon, LLC, Lexington, Ky.
Construcon concluded in 2015.
VDOT and the Kentucky Transportaon Cabinet coordinated the opening of the Route 460 Connector with
the opening of a poron of Kentucky’s Route 460 work between the state line and Beaver, Ky.
Including Phase I, just under 10 miles of Corridor Q in Virginia has been constructed to rough grade, with
three addional miles of construcon underway on the Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phase A project in
Buchanan County. In 2023, all the projects currently completed to rough grade will be paved and open to
traffic from the state line to Route 744 at Southern Gap.
The 2021 VDOT Safety Calendar is a special one, featuring artwork from
the children of VDOT employees across the state including two Bristol District
employees.
Abingdon Residency’s Mahew Lewis submied the artwork of his 3rdgrade
daughter, Piper Lewis, and her artwork is featured for the month of
April. Taylor Trent, the 7th-grade daughter of Jordan Fields from the Wise
Residency, earned the August spot.
Each month of the calendar holds a different safety message,
with Piper’s focusing on Work Zone Safety and Taylor’s focusing
on Summer Heat Safety.
Special thanks to all who parcipated and congratulaons to
Piper and Taylor, as well as their parents.
(Le to right) Todd Repass, Brian Plummer and Derick Dodson on Todd’s cale farm in Wythe County.

VDOT and Phillips Construcon, LLC, Henderson, Ky., will begin a project to improve traffic flow at Interstate 81
exit 17 in Abingdon in February.
The $13 million construcon project includes improvements to the exit
17 northbound on and off ramps, improvements to a segment of Route
75, reconstrucon and relocaon of Gravel Lake Road, and relocaon of
the frontage road located adjacent to the northbound exit 17 off ramp
(Commerce Drive).
Bundled with the planned exit 17 project is an Interstate 81 Corridor
Improvement Program (CIP) project that extends the southbound
acceleraon lane at exit 17.
The overall value of the project, including design, right of way and
construcon, is approximately $35 million ($3 million from the I-81 CIP).
The majority of the project was funded through VDOT’s Smart Scale
program. The project is ancipated to be completed Fall 2022.
Retirements
Steven Sheets - Traffic, 44 years
Roscoe Trent – Equipment, Abingdon, 21 years
Ricky Dotson – Fremont AHQ Maint. Supv., 27 years
Dwayne Bloodgood - Wise/Dickenson Bridge Crew,
39 years
Kathy Taylor - Bristol Administraon Inventory
Specialist, 21 years
Jessie Asbury – Lebanon Res. Sign Supv, 32 years
Eddie Edwards – Paonsville AHQ Maint. Supv., 37
years
Norman Howell – TO II, Springville AHQ, 33 years
Transfers/Promotions/Role Changes
Jared Salts - promoted to Construcon Inspector Sr.,
Bristol Construcon East
C. David Osborne - promoted to Maintenance Crew
Leader, North Bristol AHQ
Ryan Owens – promoted to Construcon Inspector
Sr., Bristol Construcon Central
Jimmy Mitchell – promoted to Maint. Supt., Ewing
AHQ
Craig Mullins – promoted to Maint. Crew Leader,
Highpoint AHQ
Kevin Lawson – promoted to Maint. Operaon Mgr.,
Wytheville Res.
Barry Vaughn – promoted to Maint. Operaons Mgr.,
Wytheville Res.
Richard Skeens – transferred to Wytheville AHQ, TOII
Kevin Hurt – transferred from Salem to Bristol,
Construcon Inspector Bristol Construcon Central
Jusn Oscar – promoted to Sr. Construcon
Inspector, Bristol Construcon East
Shane Morrison – promoted to Engineer Supervisor
Sr., Structure and Bridge
Roger Barton – transfer to Lebanon Residency,
Deskins AHQ, TOII
Jeff Campbell – transfer to High Point AHQ,
Maintenance Supervisor
Harvey Honaker – transfer to Lebanon AHQ,
Maintenance Supervisor
Lane Farm
Jonathan Henegar – transfer to Lebanon Residency,
Construcon Manager
William Counts – promoon to Residency
Administrator
New Hires
Jay Phipps – TO II, Volney AHQ
Kevin Cox – TO II, Bland AHQ
Bradley Osborne – TO II, Speedwell AHQ
Edward Langley – TO II, Ft. Blackmore AHQ
Daniel Rollins – TO II, East Stone Gap AHQ
Richard Parks – TO II, Volney AHQ
Gregory Gibson – Construcon Inspector Sr., Bristol
Construcon East
Jonathan Coleman – TO II, Big Rock AHQ
Rusty Bevan – Incident Manager Coordinator,
Abingdon Residency
The
Repass

Randall McCracken, Superintendent
for the Blackford AHQ in Russell
County (Lebanon Residency), began
working for VDOT as an “Operator A”
in September 1990. Since beginning
his career with VDOT, Randall has
also worked in the role of Operator B
(motor grader), Sign Supervisor,
Maintenance Supervisor, and in his
current role as Maintenance
Superintendent. Randall is a 1982
graduate of Richlands High School. In
his free me, he enjoys fishing,
hunng and motorcycle riding.
Randall and his wife, Kim, have been
married 37 years and they have two
children and four grandchildren, with
a fih grandchild on the way! How
does Randall Keep Virginia Moving?
“In overseeing the maintenance
acvies for the Blackford AHQ, I
have the privilege of working with
some of the best employees I have
worked with during my VDOT career.
They are the ones who deserve the
recognion for Keeping Virginia
Moving.”
Congratulaons are in order for the following employees who celebrated 25, 30,
35 and 40 years of service in 2020:
25 Years
Becky Bane, Construcon
Bryan Call, Chilhowie AHQ
Amy Frye, Planning and Investment
Tim Grubb, Marion AHQ
Mark Hester, Chilhowie AHQ
Greg Honaker, Abingdon Res.
Randall Lewis, Abingdon AHQ
Chris Osborne, Volney AHQ
Michael Parks, Marion AHQ
James Smith, Big Rock AHQ
Dennis Umberger, Speedwell AHQ
30 Years of Service
Tim Blevins, Wytheville Shop
Roy Brewer, Volney AHQ
Shirley Brewer, Traffic
Roger Ely, Dryden AHQ
Gerald Felts, Speedwell AHQ
Angela Gilbreath, Business
Mike Gordon, Bridge
Harmon Kilgore, Wise Res.
Randall McCracken, Blackford AHQ
Terry Meade, Ft. Blackmore AHQ
Ervin Prue, Claypool Hill AHQ
Dexter Terry, Facilies
Debby Teasley, Business/Technology
Clay Stowers, Materials
William Wright, Highpoint AHQ
35 Years
Doug Brown, Paonsville AHQ
John Courtney, Coeburn AHQ
James Davis, Abingdon AHQ
Randy Felty, Abingdon AHQ
Gene Holley, L&D
William “Jeff” Jones, Chilhowie AHQ
Leon Lambert, Wytheville Shop
James Maiden, Traffic
Randy Matney, Springville AHQ
Howard McAllister, Wythe/Grayson
Bridge
Sidney Osborne, Marion AHQ
Phillip Phipps, Survey/L&D
Larry Shupe, Speedwell AHQ
Pam Stanley, Wise Res.
Allen Ward, Big Rock AHQ
40+ Years
David Ball, Deskins AHQ
Preston White, Ft. Blackmore AHQ