Archives: October 2015
Strategic planning - you have a role
October 12, 2015
On Oct. 21 managers, supervisors, and other informal leaders at the Iowa DOT will come together for a day-long event focused on developing their leadership skills. During the Leadership Development Conference attendees will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and identify issues and barriers related to leadership, strategic planning, performance management, culture, and communication and propose possible solutions to overcome barriers and become more successful as an organization in each of these five areas.
But attendees of the conference are not the only ones responsible for improving our agency. Everyone has the ability to make improvements that help the Iowa DOT become smarter, simpler and customer driven. Even small changes in how you approach your day-to-day work can make a big impact on the way we operate as a team. The purpose of this blog is to give an introduction to each of these focus areas (Leadership, Strategic Planning, Performance Management, Culture and Communications) and suggest ways you can work to make improvements.
Today’s topic is strategic planning.
Message Monday - Oct. 12, 2015 - Is this Heaven? No, It's Iowa. Travel Safely
October 12, 2015
Today’s Message Monday has not one, but two stories behind it. First, it is Columbus Day, which is named for the most famous traveler of all time (at least related to North America). It is a great time of year to think like Columbus. Get out and explore all the wonder that Iowa has to offer.
Another good lesson from Columbus - think outside the box and take risks. It is hard to believe that once upon a time everyone thought the world was flat. Columbus took a chance and proved his theory and changed the world. Switch that thinking to the modern day with texting and driving. Do you believe texting and driving is dangerous? Be like Christopher Columbus. Stand up in what you know is right and don’t text and drive. Change the world.
The other reason, of course, is baseball. With three Midwestern teams making playoffs, its an exciting time to be a Cubs, Royals or Cardinals fan! If you don’t know the tie between today’s message and baseball, you must be from another state. Here is a refresher…. https://youtu.be/UqgKGtYfr_U
The fatality count of 254 is an increase of nine from last Monday. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf
Leadership - you have a role
October 9, 2015
On Oct. 21 managers, supervisors, and other informal leaders at the Iowa DOT will come together for a day-long event focused on developing their leadership skills. During the Leadership Development Conference attendees will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and identify issues and barriers related to leadership, strategic planning, performance management, culture, and communication and propose possible solutions to overcome barriers and become more successful as an organization in each of these five areas.
But attendees of the conference are not the only ones responsible for improving our agency. Everyone has the ability to make improvements that help the Iowa DOT become smarter, simpler and customer driven. Even small changes in how you approach your day-to-day work can make a big impact on the way we operate as a team. The purpose of this blog is to give an introduction to each of these focus areas (Leadership, Strategic Planning, Performance Management, Culture, and Communications) and suggest ways you can work to make improvements.
Today’s topic is leadership.
Maintenance is key element in transportation asset management plan
October 9, 2015
Iowa has more miles of public highways per capita than the majority of states in the nation, approximately 38 miles of road for every 1,000 people. The Iowa DOT is responsible for the state system, which includes roads designated as interstate, U.S., or state highways – including ramps, that’s about 9,400 miles of roads. Cities, counties, parks, or federal agencies are responsible for the remainder of the more than 114,400 miles of Iowa roads. The entire system has more than 24,000 bridges, with about 4,100 of those managed by the Iowa DOT.
Maintaining all those roads and bridges is a huge undertaking, especially since most of the system was originally built from 1940 to 1970. Much of the existing infrastructure was built with a design life of 40 to 60 years. Of course, that doesn’t mean we replace or rebuild a road or bridge once it reaches the end of its design life. Thoughtful stewardship, including careful maintenance, of our resources through the years can preserve these roads and bridges, our transportation assets, beyond their designed lifespan to get you there safely, efficiently and conveniently.
Message Monday - Oct. 5, 2015 - Exit to text it
October 5, 2015
You’ve been told a million times how dangerous texting while driving is, but you just can’t help yourself. What is more important than communicating your thoughts RIGHT NOW. After all, it’s pretty unlikely that you know one of the nine Americans who will die in a distracted driving crash today.
Reality check - crashes caused by texting drivers shatter lives. Meet Nina, a mom from Southwest Iowa who watched her sons Alex and Maliki die in the back seat of their car after being struck by another Iowa driver who couldn’t put down the phone. Read her story here http://ia.zerofatalities.com/shattered-lives/.
Prepass helps keeps freight moving safely and efficiently
October 2, 2015
As anyone who drives on Iowa’s interstates knows, there are a lot of big rigs rolling through our state carrying both finished goods and the raw materials needed to make the things we use every day. Assuring that commercial vehicles are safe is the job of the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers. But with only 96 officers covering the entire state 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our forces are stretched thin at weigh scales and roving safety checks.
Cable median barrier saves lives and creates challenges for maintenance crews
October 2, 2015
In an effort to reduce the number of fatalities from crashes where vehicles cross the interstate median and collide with vehicles on the opposite side, the Iowa Department of Transportation began installing tensioned cable median barrier in 2007. Each year, as more barriers have been added, the number of cross median fatalities has been reduced, from 16 in 2010 to six in 2014. The data shows the barriers are a good safety innovation, but Iowa DOT maintenance folks were left with the dilemma of safely mowing around each of the posts that support the cable barrier.
Since the Iowa DOT policy on mowing for “sight and safety” took effect a few years ago, the number of hours spent mowing has decreased significantly. Under this policy the need to mow the entire stretch from the shoulder to the fence row has been reduced to mowing a 10- to 15-foot swath in areas where not mowing would create a safety hazard or where the sight distance is reduced if the area is not mowed.
Big changes for the Iowa DOT’s Technical Training and Certification Program
October 2, 2015
Iowa has one of the best-trained construction inspection workforces in the nation. Making sure our roads are being constructed properly has long-reaching implications, both in terms of how long the road will last and how safe the road will be. Investing in training our inspectors in the latest techniques keeps Iowa moving toward a world class transportation system.
But we didn’t get where we are overnight. Over the past 40 years, the Iowa DOT’s training program has grown from one employee certified to test aggregates used in highway construction to more than 4,000 certified technicians holding close to 14,000 certifications in various fields related to building your transportation system.
Personnel updates for Sept. 11 - 24, 2015
October 2, 2015
Information provide by the Office of Employee Services
How to replace a bridge in 21 days
October 1, 2015
The Iowa Department of Transportation is taking accelerated bridge construction (ABC) to the next level with the Little Silver Creek Bridge on Iowa 92, west of Treynor in Pottawattamie County. The bridge replacement work currently underway and a webcam is set up so you can follow the entire construction process, from fabrication of the bridge components all the way through demolition and replacement of the existing structure.