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The Irony Of It All
Brad Hollerbach

Is MODOT Being Run By A Kindergartener?

Posted Friday, January 9, 2009, at 8:23 AM

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  • The mile markers placed every two tenths of a mile were paid for with federal money. Amazing as it may sound, people not from this area travel that interstate, too. If they have an emergency, they might not know exactly where they are, so the frequent markers can help. The digital signs are for emergencies or problems that people traveling need to be aware of, like "Detour Ahead", "Brad Hollerbach Sighting, Turn Around", that sort of stuff. If you see "Don't Drink and Drive" you know everything is OK. The guard rails were placed that close to the southbound lane because there are fiber optic cables that run down the center between the two lanes. It isn't pretty and it is just a little scary but it keeps you on your toes. I am not a MODoT employee, in case you were wondering. I'll send you a Sour Apple Jolly Rancher.

    -- Posted by semoINDIAN on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 9:30 AM
  • If federal money was the source for the funding for the mile markers, then heck, I wish they had put up markers every 50 feet. The feds can just print some more. After all, it’s not like we’re paying for it or anything.

    I understand the purpose of the digital signboards, I just question the value on this section of I-55.

    I figured the reason for the cables being so close to the southbound lane was due to either the fiber optic cables or to make it easier to mow the median. While I know the fiber optic cables are in the approximate center of the median, I have to wonder why they didn’t slightly set the cabling off center.

    Doesn’t MODOT employ a surveyor or two? Maybe they could’ve called 1-800-DIGRITE, if they didn’t know where the fiber was exactly located.

    Thanks for reading.

    -- Posted by Brad_Hollerbach on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 10:22 AM
  • I've actually been impressed with MoDot recently, especially with the management of the I-64 program in St. Louis and the timeliness of other highway projects. I think you're crying over spilled milk with the mile markers. That issue was over 2 or 3 years ago so I'm not sure why you're bringing it up now. They are very helpful in roadside assistance considering you only have to walk .1 of a mile to find out where exactly you are. In case of an emergency, that can be very helpful especially for those for those from out of state. As for the message boards, they can also be used for Amber Alerts and other emergency messages.

    -- Posted by The Dictionary on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 12:42 PM
  • The I-64 rebuild in St. Louis has gone quite well based on reports that I’ve read. I’m sure this is has as much to do with the team of outside contractors involved in that project as it does MODOT. I imagine there are also covenants in the contracts that give incentives to the contractors for finishing the project early.

    You’re right about the mile markers. They’ve been in place for at least 2 to 3 years. And they’ve annoyed me for that long.

    I have the distinct recollection that those markers went up not long after we the tax payers voted a fuel tax into place for fixing the roads and bridges, not removing existing signage and replacing it with “new-and-improved” markers.

    I didn’t gripe about it then, because I wasn’t writing a blog at that time.

    As I said, I know the purpose of the message boards and they are redundant and unnecessary in my opinion. Amber Alerts are broadcast a number of ways already – radio and text message. I seriously doubt anyone could read anything meaningful from an LED message board when you are driving by it at 70 plus miles per hour.

    Thanks for reading.

    -- Posted by Brad_Hollerbach on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 1:20 PM
  • The fiber optics in the median supposedly carry government information--the primary reason why the three-strand guard cables are so close to the shoulder. I don't blame them... would you want Billy Bob the backhoe operator digging that close to what could be highly sensitive information?

    I-64: Meh. Give a contractor a large cash incentive and see what happens. You want to ***** about excessive spending? Look at all of the sound walls along the newly opened stretch.

    At least you don't have to deal with MoDOT directly. They are horrible. It took me four months to get two intersections' traffic signals put on flash because the road between them was going to be closed for over a year. They are also stubborn when dealing with local entities--it's literally MoDOT's way or the highway. They also like to rework intersections with state roads to favor the state roads; completely ignoring the fact that they are permanently disrupting local traffic. I could continue but my lunch is over.

    -- Posted by isobar on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 1:44 PM
  • Good, Brad. Just keeps boiling back to ... government agencies (whether fed, state or local) spending our money unnecessarily ... always wonder if someone's brother-in-law's cousin has a business that needs a boost ...

    I felt the same way when a new highway was built around St. Charles ... miles of fir trees planted (presumably as a potential 'buffer'). A few months ago, we drove through there. Not more than about a dozen trees survived--although many of the dead brown ones were still standing. I appreciate the beauty of plantings, etc., but grumpy me does not see things like that as a good use of our tax dollars.

    -- Posted by gurusmom on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 3:02 PM
  • I am a MODOT employee. I have seen many things on I-55. I have seen an out-of-state family's car break down on I-55 in St Gen County and they did'nt know exactly where on I-55 they were.I imagine that the two tenths mile marker signs would have been helpful at that time. I have seen a car crossing the median into the other lane of traffic causing a wreck. I have worked on the Interstate and had cars and trucks flying by 70 or 80 mph when the speed limit is 55 in the work zone. Every sign you see on any Missouri interstate or highway is there for the safety of ALL motorists.

    What driver going toward St.Louis would'nt need to know of an incident that has occured ahead of them? Or an Amber Alert has gone out and did'nt hear the radio message or see the text message (the cell phone is the last thing to look at while driving).

    When you see a sign that reads "Left Lane Closed" and no workers are present.It does not mean it's safe to drive in the lane.

    Do remember that we all have families to go home to.

    ARRIVE ALIVE!

    -- Posted by mogearjammer on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 8:00 PM
  • Just_Me,

    There is only one supervisor... he's usually the one in his truck. The rest are "workers." If you're talking about a contractor, who cares? Contractors in this field are very seldom on time and material type billing--they are paid based on their production--lineal feet of vertical curb in place, square yards of pavement in place, tons of asphalt placed, etc. Excessive lane drops: we've all seen them and contrary to what mogearjammer said, there are times when lane drops can either be shortened or eliminated all together... this reverts back to the "worker" comment and their lack of discipline primarily due to the supervisor.

    GurusMom,

    All of the projects undertaken by MoDOT are competitively bid and they are required by law to go to the lowest bidder; presuming the lowest bidder meets all of the requirements listed in the Specifications (both from MoDOT and project-specific). If the initial lowest bidder fails to meet any requirement, the process continues to the next lowest bidder, etc.

    -- Posted by isobar on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, at 9:30 PM
  • As for the mile markers, If you can't concentrate wher you are at all times, then you don't need to be on the highway. As for the cable system, they need that to keep the Hwy Patrol from tearing up the medians all over the state IMO. The signs are a good thing, but they are only used in isolated incidences. Why don't they sell advertising to Burger King or Krispy Kreme when they are not being used? The MODOT is not about saving money or making it, just spending it. I was a member of the Chamber of Commerce transportation committee a few years back and asked why instead of rebuilding a road every couple years,they should make them 2 feet thick and just come in and shave a few inces off every time it gets rough, then repave every 5 or 6 years. They could recycle the shavings to county and city roads. I was told that was a dumb idea to save all that $$$. Doesn't sound so so dumb now that we have a "financial crisis"...

    -- Posted by mohacker on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, at 8:18 AM
  • MEDIAN CABLE BARRIER

    Fiber Optic cabling is only part of the reason the cable barrier was placed along the side of southbound 55. The primary reason was to enable the barrier to do its job. The type of barrier placed here is different than that placed on I-70; it is high-tension cable barrier. It was strategically placed in order to stop the cross over wrecks (when a car or truck going north crosses the median and hits a southbound vehicle). If the barrier had been placed in the center of the median, vehicles could have vaulted over it due to the angle of the median banks. So, placed in the middle, they would not have served their purpose.

    Now, with that said, I will add another comment. I ride a motorcycle and have concerns for other riders that may come into contact with the cable barrier. There are many occasions when I am in the passing lane and someone in the driving lane starts to move left without looking. Obviously, with the cable there, my safety will be significantly more in jeopardy than before the cable was installed.

    Finally, I know that crossover wrecks were reduced 98% on I-70 after the low-tension cable barriers were placed there. This is an excellent tool to keep our motoring public safer than before.

    By the way, though I am a traffic safety advocate, I do NOT work for MODOT. I just listen.

    -- Posted by Road_King on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, at 11:35 AM
  • While I understand that it would be helpful for a motorist to know where they are immediately, with the old system, you were never more than half a mile from a marker, and that's if you broke down right in the middle. You could add another one or two per mile, but four additional markers per mile is a bit excessive. Are we really that lazy, that we can't walk another few point-miles? Think about it- two extra signs versus four extra signs would have cut that budget in half, and still would have been helpful to motorists. And even out of town drivers should be aware of what road they are on, especially a long interstate that goes on for miles. Certainly they have maps or (these days) GPS, right?

    I agree that I have never once seen anything on those signs except "Don't drink and drive". They are certainly useful in St. Louis, but from Cape to St. Gen, there is not enough traffic to warrant one. If there is an accident, traffic is sparse enough and emergency vehicles respond quick enough that any incident can easily be seen in enough time. Amber alerts are great, but if those local signs were erected solely for amber alerts (since they haven't been used for accidents yet), that's a waste of money- in this area, any child disappearance would be on the news and in our heads way before any sign could alert us.

    As for the cables, I still don't understand why they have to be thisclose to the side. I get that they don't want crossover accidents, but if someone breaks down on that side of the road, without the median to turn into, they have a line of people behind them to cause an even bigger accident.

    These are things that have bothered me for awhile- glad to see I'm not alone.

    -- Posted by katj85 on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, at 11:46 AM
  • Just to clarify. Road King, I am not against the cabling system to minimize cross-over accidents. What I question is the placement of this particular system right by the roadside. It seems more dangerous than not having one. If the cabling system is in the center of the median (or off center to account for the fiber optic) an accident has some place to go which is out of the way of other unsuspecting drivers.

    With the cabling right by the road, it would appear to me that the a vehicle who hits it would careen back into the south bound lane and potentially cause a pile up.

    Thanks for reading.

    -- Posted by Brad_Hollerbach on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, at 1:04 PM