Two special-assignment teams at the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that have focused on providing outstanding customer service, keeping customers and MoDOT workers safe, and preparing for the transportation network of the future have won prestigious national awards from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
The “Field Traffic Alert System Team,” which last month won the Governor’s Award for Quality and Productivity, won AASHTO’s Francis B. Francois Award for innovation. The award defines innovation as something worthwhile that establishes, increases or enhances value to the public. It also carries with it $10,000 to allow MoDOT to fund a graduate fellowship at a state university still to be determined.
The “Road to Tomorrow Team” was honored with AASHTO’s President’s Award for performing exemplary service that furthers the activities of MoDOT, and which has, or potentially could have, a salutary impact on transportation nationwide or on a regional basis. The awards were presented earlier this week at AASHTO’s Annual Meeting in Boston.
The Field Traffic Alert System team created a system to provide drivers with improved traffic information, and to speed incident response.
Road to Tomorrow is taking steps to find ways to add value to the state transportation system, to enhance its funding streams, and to prepare MoDOT to integrate 21st century technologies into its transportation system and services.
The team is currently working with private sector partners to implement pilot projects to test solar roadways, smart pavement and incorporation of the “Internet of Things.”
Members of the two teams are:
FIELD ALERT TRAFFIC SYSTEM TEAM
Brandon Campbell - Traffic Operations Engineer, Southwest District
Chris Engelbrecht - District Safety and Health Manager, Central District
Stuart Harlan - Lead Information System Technologist, Central Office
Jon Nelson - Traffic Safety Engineer, Central Office
Raymond Shank - Senior Traffic Studies Specialist, Central Office
Mark Sommerhauser - Transportation Project Manager, Kansas City District
Julie Stotlemeyer - Traffic Liaison Engineer, Central Office
ROAD TO TOMORROW TEAM
Tom Blair – Asst. District Engineer, St. Louis District
Bob Brendel – Special Assignments Coordinator, Central Office
Kellen Burns – Sr. Communications Specialist, Central Office
Jennifer Harper – Research Engineer, Central Office
Jon Nelson – Traffic Safety Engineer, Central Office
James Pflum – Resident Engineer, Kansas City District
Hilary Hamlin – Information Systems Technologist, Central Office
