Staunton District Highway Scanner - November 2023

The Highway Scanner
A newsletter for and about the people of
VDOT’s Staunton District
NOVEMBER 2023
WHERE THE
RUBBER MEETS
THE ROAD
Being a transportation operator may be
a bit of a thankless job – a perceived
inconvenience to travelers, certainly
lacking the accolades of a grand
construction project, and sometimes
misunderstood by those both outside
and within VDOT. But one thing is
certain, Virginia would stop moving
without its operators.
“Operators make VDOT work,”
Edinburg Residency Administrator
Ed Carter says. Susan Hammond,
Lexington’s Residency Administrator
shares the same sentiments. “The
majority of good things that get done
in our residency are a result of their
work.”
“If you look into VDOT’s mission –
we fund maintenance first,” District
Maintenance Engineer Joel DeNunzio
points out. “Operators are at the core
of what we do, and one of the most
important parts of this agency.”
(ARTICLE CONTINUES, PAGES 2-3)
COVER PHOTO:
Garland Mumaw with Mount
Jackson Area Headquarters, raking
asphalt for improvements to Route 710
(Pleasant View Road) in Shenandoah
County.
Alleghany • Augusta • Bath • Clarke • Frederick
Highland • Page • Rockbridge • Rockingham • Shenandoah • Warren

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
DOING IT ALL
Operators do anything and everything to keep Virginia’s primary and secondary roads open and safe for travel.
“It could be flagging traffic, driving a dump truck, hauling materials or spreading stone,” Covington AHQ Superintendent
Robey Coffey says. “It could be doing some handwork with shovels and rakes, mowing, snow removal, equipment operations,
picking up dead animals.” Anything that happens on the roads or beside them – operators take care of it.
“Picking up deer is probably the worst – deer and trash bags,” Verona AHQ Supervisor John Selby says.
These are things people see, but there’s plenty they don’t, like making sure pipes are clean so roads don’t flood. “Those types
of things maybe aren’t as appreciated as some of the large things we do like big construction projects,” Hammond says. “But in
reality, the work that these maintenance folks do makes life easier for people every day.”
COMMITTED
It really is every day. “In the middle of the night, when a tree falls down on
the road – who do you think comes and cuts that out?” Hammond asks. “That’s
our operators.”
“They come in and they work on their Saturdays and Sundays, on their nights after
hours,” Harrisonburg Residency Administrator Don Komara says. “When the
weather people tell everyone to stay home, our men and women come to work.”
Operators are always at the mercy of the weather. “When the snow’s flying or it’s
raining, or you get a tree down in the middle of the road… whether it’s pouring
down rain or not,” Selby says. “You just suck it up because it’s part of the job.”
Every job is different with its own scenery and its own challenges – and that’s what
Tim Hall likes about it. Hall is an operator at the Stephens City Area Headquarters
and is happiest in the summer “when it’s just good and hot.” Superintendent
Joey Calhoun of the Harrisonburg Bridge crew believes the hottest days are some
of the hardest days. “We had two or three weeks this summer where it was in
the nineties. We were in the middle of a full bridge replacement, and we were out
there sweating, doing the grunt work.”
“It’s evolving and changing every minute – the weather, the traffic, visibility – all
those things are changing constantly,” says Corey Mace, an operator for 10 years
with Fairfield Area Headquarters.
SAFETY
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and procedures help to keep operators safe, but being an
operator has inherent danger. “I don’t think everyone comprehends the extent that they are in
a risky situation almost all day long,” Hammond says.
“They’re in the road constantly, in the line of traffic,” Selby says. “Unless it’s snow removal,
somebody is outside of a vehicle or a piece of equipment, in harm’s way all the time.”
“You’ve got a 20,000-pound piece of equipment you’re running, and you’ve got people working
around you, and then then you’ve got the traveling public,” Hall adds. “You have to watch out
for yourself as well as your crew members.”
“You might be doing everything right, but sometimes drivers might be distracted,”Coffey
says. “So even if you’re doing the right thing you might end up in a bad situation if you’re
not careful.”
Continued on next page
2
NOVEMBER 2023

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
And you never know what you’re going to get. “You come in and plan on ditching, then
you get a call from TOC there’s an accident, so you have to go reroute traffic off I-81 onto
Route 11,” Mace shares. “Or a tree falls, and you have to go get it out of the road. There
are always unforeseen things.”
THEIR COMMUNITIES
“I live in this area, so I know a lot of these people,” says John Morrison, a maintenance
crew leader with Verona AHQ for nearly 23 years. “They’re relying on me to have the
roads plowed, or to try to get the work done to make the roads safer.”
Like Morrison, many of the men and women who work as VDOT operators live in the
communities they serve. Hall takes pride in seeing a job well done. “You go back maybe a
year later to see it functioning the way that it was meant to, and it looks good.”
“Our people in the field – not only in my residency, but across the district – are fiercely
loyal and fiercely proud of their work,” Carter says. “No matter what you give them,
they’re going to try to get it accomplished.”
AN INVITATION
Carter extends an invitation to anyone and everyone within VDOT to go out and see what operators do. “Spend some time in the
field with them,” Carter says.
It can also help to bridge a gap between design and construction. “We see that a lot in Bridge,” Calhoun shares, “where we have
to make field adjustments to the plans because what was on paper doesn’t always work.”
Other operators share similar experiences of problem-solving in the field. “Leave your desk and come out here, boots on the
ground and see what actually happens,” Hall says. Coffey adds, “People would get a better understanding if they could just
see it.”
THANK YOU
While you’re out there, be sure to say “thank you” for the confidence that you can
get where you’re going – thanks to the operators who keep our roadways open
and traffic moving.
“A thank-you honestly helps a lot,” Calhoun says. “A little bit of praise goes a
long way.”
“I really believe that what they do, our operators make a real difference,”
Komara conveys.
“It’s important that we recognize the work they do has a direct impact on the
community and a direct impact on the people that we’re in contact with. The
county administrator, board of supervisors, even legislators recognize that there’s
good work done,” Hammond says.
Carter shares what may be the biggest truth: “They will never know how many
people go home safely because of what they do.” •
NOVEMBER 2023 3

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
4
NOVEMBER 2023

FOCUS ON SAFETY
DON’T FUEL THE FIRE
As cold weather settles in, be extra careful around fueling stations to
avoid fires ignited by static electricity.
As the “fire triangle” on this page shows, three things are required to
start a fire: oxygen, fuel, and a source of heat or ignition. When you’re
filling up the tank of your VDOT or personal vehicle, two of those three
(oxygen and fuel) are always present. It’s essential to avoid introducing
the ignition source – such as a spark from static electricity.
Colder air holds less moisture, so it’s more likely to generate a static
discharge. That’s why you often get a mild shock when you touch
something after walking across a carpet during the colder months of the
year.
Here are some tips for preventing fires at the fueling island:
» Ground yourself! Before reaching for the fuel nozzle, touch a metal surface such as the side of your vehicle.
» While fueling, avoid re-entering the vehicle. If you must, then be sure to re-establish your “ground” before
touching the fuel nozzle.
» Keep the nozzle in contact with your vehicle’s filler neck or the fuel container
» Before filling a fuel container, always place it on the ground – never inside a vehicle or in pickup truck bed.
If a fire does start while you’re fueling, DO NOT remove the nozzle from the tank. Stop fueling and allow the fire to burn
itself out. These types of fires actually feed off vapors and will burn out quickly if the fuel nozzle remains in the tank.
5 SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER JULY 2020 2023 2020 5

NEWS & NOTES
“A LITTLE PEBBLE IN A POND CAN MAKE SOME HUGE RIPPLES”
Once upon a time (not long ago) a series of phone calls was the way people were notified of a traffic incident, until they
received an automated email. It took time. “It might be 15, 20, 30 minutes before you get the next update,” District
Traffic Operations Director Matt Shiley states. “When an incident’s going on, minutes matter.”
Now, Incident Management Coordinators and Duty Officers use MS Teams to send information out directly to everyone
who needs it all at once. “It’s been very successful keeping everyone informed when we have major incidents especially,”
Shiley adds.
The Innovation Catalog,
featuring 8 Staunton
District innovations, is
distributed throughout
the district.
This is just one example of efficiency and streamlining in the Staunton District that’s a direct
result of ideaDRIVER and the Innovation Team.
“We’re looking for any ideas that will make our business at VDOT - the Staunton District
in particular - more effective, more efficient, save money, save time, help us meet our
performance measures and improve safety,” Shiley states.
District Learning Manager Joe Urban says it’s a way for people to be heard. “So often
people don’t feel comfortable sharing an idea or a different way. This is the opportunity for
a group to take a nonjudgmental, nonpartisan look at an idea and look at an idea to try to
figure out – does it make sense? Does it create efficiencies? Does it create safety?”
Both Shiley and Urban, who help lead the Innovation Team, welcome all ideas big and
small. “Not every idea has to be this huge, grandiose idea," Urban says. "A little pebble in
a pond can make some huge ripples.”
"We encourage people to submit ideas," Shiley says - whether it's to ideaDRIVER, in paper
form, or through email, “because that’s what’s going to make us better.”
Moving Forward – Focus on Innovation
I-81 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT UPDATE
Construction is about to begin on a second I-81 Corridor Improvement Program
(CIP) project in the Staunton area. VDOT in October awarded a $7.7 million contract
to Fairfield-Echols LLC of Fishersville, Va., to build an I-81 southbound auxiliary
lane. Here are the essential details:
» The project requires the Route 635 (Barterbrook Road) bridge over I-81 to
be replaced. The new bridge will have fewer piers, allowing space for the auxiliary
lane between exit 221 (I-64 interchange) and exit 220 (southern end of Route 262).
» The new bridge and auxiliary lane should be complete in mid-2025.
» VDOT and Fairfield-Echols will work with the nearby I-81 Staunton
widening contractor to ensure maintenance of traffic is coordinated through construction.
Harrisonburg City Council in September received details about the
upcoming widening of I-81 northbound and southbound between
mile marker 242 and 248.
Project Manager Scott Alexander (pictured) and Ross Hudnall,
VDOT Noise Abatement Coordinator, briefed council members on
the $322 million project. It includes replacement of nine bridges and
construction of roughly four miles of noise barriers. Construction is
expected to begin in 2025.
6
SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 2020

NEWS & NOTES
The VDOT Staunton District has kicked off its 2024 fund-raising events for the Commonwealth
of Virginia Campaign (CVC). About 800 charitable organizations benefit from CVC, many of
them in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands. Go to www.cvcgives.org to find out
more and to sign up for online giving.
The Staunton District complex hosted a Halloween Cookoff and decorated
table contest on October 25. The cookoff raised $857 for the Blue Ridge
Area Food Bank. The L&D Section raised the most with $340.
Employees from the Harrisonburg Residency gathered October 26 for their
Safety / CVC Day. Highlights included presentations on hunting safety and
fire prevention. The day offered a cornhole tournament, silent auction,
raffle tickets, and the "Crockpotluck" competition. Operator Chris Reedy
took top honors with his sausage dip. Organizers also honored veterans.
Harrisonburg raised $3,170 for several non-profits.
Upcoming Events
> Edinburg Residency CVC / Safety Day – November 3 at Winchester AHQ
> VDOT Chef Joe Duquette's famous brunswick stew – December 5 (dine-in and to-go)
More events and opportunities to support CVC are on the way – so keep your eye on email and EBBs!
SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 2020 7

GET TO KNOW OUR VETERANS
NEWS & NOTES
Veterans Day is November 11. Below are just a few of the VDOT Staunton District employees who have served in the
armed forces. Honor the service and sacrifice of all our veterans by saying "Thank You for Your Service!"
Keith Harrop – District Construction Manager – United States Army National Guard
Q: How long did you serve and where?
A: I have 18.5 years and I’m still serving in the Virginia Army National Guard, including three years of active duty. I was stationed
in Bagdad, Iraq in 2008 and most of 2009 during the “surge.” I’ve been activated for countless hurricane and snowstorm standby/
response missions in Virginia and civil disturbance response missions – most recently, I spent a month in the Capitol Building after
January 6, 2021.
Q: How would you describe your experience in the military?
A: My experience was most similar to the movie “Jarhead”, lots of preparations to fight the apocalypse which luckily didn’t happen.
The desert really sucks in ways that can only be experienced – 130 degrees with body armor. It’s as close to hell as I hope to ever get.
Q: Can you describe a funny moment from boot camp?
A: While I was training at Fort Lewis, they make you go into a chemical chamber with your protective equipment on, then they gas
the room. You have to do exercises to make sure your mask works, then take your mask off and experience the effects so you know
what it’s like. One of the natural side effects is that you will secrete every amount of mucus/fluid that your body has to flush out the
toxins. I remember being dumbfoundedly amazed at just how much mucus is in the human body. I forgot all about the gas and was
fixated on how long the gusher running out of my nostrils would last. I must have lost 15 pounds of fluid over ten minutes.
Tanya Johnson – Financial Accounting Manager – United States Army 2011 to 2013
Q: How long did you serve and where?
A: I served for two years – one year in Afghanistan and one in Fort Hood, Texas.
Q: What were the reasons you enlisted?
A: I enlisted later in life, I was 36, so I waited until my children were almost grown before doing so. I had always wanted to join the
military, so when my son decided to join, I joined the same day as he did. We both had jobs that were related to fixing helicopters or
planes. It was a chance for me to travel and see more of the world.
Q: Can you describe a funny moment from boot camp?
A: I had just taken a sip of water from my camel back and my drill sergeant asked me a question before I could swallow and I spit on
him when I went to answer. He seemed unhappy but honestly he ended up making a joke of it.
Roy Reid – District Traffic Operations Manager – United States Air Force 1987 to 1993
Q: How would you describe your experience in the military?
A: I didn’t have any expectations of what Air Force life would be like. While stationed overseas, life revolved around the base and felt
like a family. When stateside, people were involved in their communities.
Q: What were the reasons you enlisted?
A: I wanted to do something other than work retail. I wanted to gain a skill that I could use outside of the military. I also wanted
money for college via the GI Bill.
Q: Was there anything you especially missed about civilian life?
A: I missed doing things with family and friends, especially when I was stationed overseas or on deployment.
Philip Baker
Gordon Ellison
Lloyd Ingram
John Nuckolls
Joel Taylor
STAUNTON DISTRICT
VETERANS
Steven Bowman
Brandt Bowyer
Charles Brown
Jeremy Brown
Jon Carter
Jackie Christian
Virgil Dedrick
C.J. Duffy
Douglas Embrey
Donald Farmer
Dominick Formato
Wayne Getz
Kenneth Griggs
Timothy Hall
Joshua Hill
Laddy Hostetter
Ricky Jarvis
George Johnson
Doane Lam
Burgess Lindsey
Robin McCullough
Merril McGee
Lester Miller
Jerry "Doug" Nance
Faron Ocheltree
Rex Pearce
Nathan Pedersen
Anthony Pelina
Patrick Shuman
Rodney "Scott" Snider
James "Jay" Strong
Michael Surratt
Alvin Trout
April Truxell
Guy Tyrrell
Kay Vance
Gary Via
Nicky Wimer
8
SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 2020

NEWS & NOTES
WORKFORCE TRAINING
AND DEVELOPMENT
SERVICE AWARDS
September and October 2023
VDOT'S 2024 Safety Excellence Award
Program (SEAP) is officially underway!
EARN POINTS THROUGH:
Online Safety Training
» General (Field & Office) Safety Training
» Field or Office Personnel Safety Training
» VDOT Fire Extinguisher Training
To begin this year's training modules
visit the VDOT-U website
Safety Training deadline June 30
Safety Videos
Create engaging videos that demonstrate
useful safety practices in a compelling
and creative way.
Video submission deadline May 31
*Need help getting started? Have questions?
Contact Chris Testerman at 540-480-8900
or Janice Ramsey at 540-332-8934
1 Year
April Truxell
Mark Wolfe
David Tyree
James D. Bennett
Michael S. Cather
Jonathan R. Dean
Bryce T. Fruck
Amy R. Henderson
Vladimir Sholomitskiy
3 Years
Chase Kerns
Troy Fravel
Charles Ellison
Winfred L. Armstrong
Heather M. Dean
Christopher A. Goble
Troy A. Hise
John A. Montgomery
5 Years
Cody S. Atkins
Derek A. Broy
Randy L. Hupman
10 Years
Stacey Michael
Robert Hutton
Jonathan E. Echols
David W. Hartsook
John W. Hise
Gregory S. Sykes
15 Years
William Fitzgerald
Jason M. Presgraves
20 Years
Donnie W. Coffey
25 Years
James L. Dudley
Michael S. Sensabaugh
Jonathan A. Zirkle
30 Years
Dwayne L. Hall
35 Years
Terri Spencer
Laura Jarvis
Dale Young
WELCOME TO VDOT!
September and October 2023
In October, nine Staunton District employees
graduated from the Leadership Development
Program for Supervisors. Millboro Springs AHQ
Supervisor James Dudley (above right holding
his certificate) was among the graduates.
LCAMS in-person training class
Tuesday, December 5 at 10 a.m.
Staunton District Complex
Environmental Conference Room
*Need to sign up? Have questions?
Contact LCAMS Technician at
540-332-9114 or
nwrolcamssupport@VDOT.Virginia.gov
New Hires / Rehires
Robert Pike, Maintenance Operator, McGaheysville
Danielle Raines, Sr Natural Resource Spec, Staunton
Kenneth Hutchinson, Equip Repair Tech, Monterey
David McClure, Maintenance Operator, Mt. Crawford
Nathan Menefee, Maintenance Operator, Covington
Trevor Fridley, Maintenance Operator, Covington
TRANSPORTATION HUMOR
I know someone in a band called "White Line".
They're very middle-of-the-road.
SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2020 2023 9

AROUND THE DISTRICT A MESSAGE FROM TODD STEVENS ...
More than half of the employees in the VDOT Staunton
District are transportation operators. This should come as
no surprise because operators are the heart and soul of our
district and the agency as a whole.
Construction Manager Alan Tucker
retired in September after 36 years of
service. Tucker is pictured above with
Engineering Technician Joan Wood
during his retirement party at Verona
AHQ.
As you saw in this newsletter’s cover article, these are the
men and women who do it all. They often work in harm’s
way and endure every weather extreme in order to maintain
and improve thousands of miles of roadway. Every day they
earn our respect and our thanks.
We are quickly approaching another winter season – another
chance for VDOT operators to shine. No one does a better job
of keeping our roads passable and safe in the face of snow, sleet or freezing rain. They
work alongside contractors and hired-equipment crews, teaching them snow-removal
routes and sharing vital tips and techniques. They plow and treat through 12-hour shifts,
day after day if severe weather demands it.
VDOT operators hope for a mild winter and an early spring so they can get back to work
on their core duties: pulling ditches to improve roadside drainage, repairing shoulders,
and perhaps giving a secondary route the Rural Rustic treatment. This time of year, they
begin the seemingly endless task of mowing and brush cutting to improve sight distance
and keep our transportation network looking good.
Four Staunton District operators
helped Team VDOT finish 7th at the
2023 Southeastern Regional Roadeo!
Mount Jackson AHQ crews took part
in a "Careers on Wheels" event in
October at Honey Run Elementary
School in Shenandoah County.
Maintenance operators labor straight through the summer months, as the heat bears
down from the sun and rises up from fresh pavement. They pull gravel roads to keep
them smooth, and treat them to keep the dust at bay. Meanwhile, bridge crew operators
are pouring concrete and setting beams in the constant effort to ensure drivers have
passage over rivers and streams.
All year long the operators of the VDOT Staunton District are looking out for you – and
each other. It’s their job to keep our roads, bridges and culverts safe and reliable. It’s
also their job to make it home each day with no injuries and no equipment damage.
That’s no small feat. Their work requires them to somehow concentrate on the task
at hand while keeping an eye out for backing hazards, tripping hazards, and the everpresent
hazards of distracted and impatient drivers.
Don’t be one of those drivers. One way you can offer a genuine thank-you to our operators
is to pass slowly and carefully through every work zone. Show your appreciation with a
nod of the head or a friendly wave while driving by. And the next time you get a chance,
tell an operator you’re proud to be part of the same VDOT team.
Thanks for your time, and be safe in everything you do.
Todd Stevens, P.E.
Staunton District Engineer
Superintendents and Supervisors from
across the district gathered in October
to prepare for the upcoming winter
weather season.
Staunton District Office of Communications
811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029
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