Survey crewmember Chuck Vizenor, Detroit Lakes, acquaints Christian Tunheim, son of transportation specialist Gary Tunheim, with Mn/DOT’s surveying equipment and methods. Photo by Pam McLeod

Dylan Hentges, 9, Coon Rapids, just changed his career plans. Once headed for work as an artist or governor, Dylan now plans to become a contractor who builds hotels, roads and bridges.

Blame it on Camp Mn/DOT.

Along with hundreds of other kids in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota, Dylan spent one day of his young life learning about transportation. He learned about bridge building from grad engineer Jennifer July, Metro, and lots of things in general from his grandfather, engineering specialist Erling Hallanger.

The young people—sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and friends of Mn/DOT employees—spent a day last week exploring the many-faceted transportation business.

The camps’ brought generations together for fun, exploration and an opportunity to consider careers in transportation. The events also brought some hands-on learning and excitement for the kids and news media reports that focused on Mn/DOT’s efforts to recruit people for careers in transportation.

The Central Office, the Metro Division and the Detroit Lakes, Rochester, Brainerd and Duluth districts held camps. At Duluth, Walter Leu, assistant district engineer, welcomed campers with magic tricks and a song he wrote about transportation.

Vern Beuning, sign supervisor at St. Cloud, shows campers how to apply letters during their visit to the sign shop. Photo by Mike Travis

Following their welcome, Duluth campers visited the Thompson Hill Travel Information Center, the rose garden built in conjunction with I-35 in downtown Duluth and checked out Road/Weather Information System reporting sites.

When they returned the campers at Duluth and Virginia saw the effects of various de-icers on ice cubes, learned about noxious weeds from a landscape specialist and safety issues from the safety director.

The young people also explored career options with Sue Fagan, Human Resources.

"The camp helped the kids relate learning math and writing skills to real world use," said Vickie Johnson, employee development specialist at Duluth, an event coordinator.

Duluth campers learn how to identify noxious weeds from Tom Jacobson, landscape specialist. Jacobson also demonstrated tree-planting techniques at Camp Mn/DOT. Photo by Katie Spielman

Campers shared similar experiences elsewhere, including the Central Office where they built rockets, saw how a bridge works as they crawled across a specially built, kid-sized one and spent time designing roads and communities using Sim City and other computer programs.

Bobbi Iverson-Roesler, Management Analysis, said Camp Mn/DOT helped heighten awareness of Mn/DOT activities among employees, give value to the work people do and filled kids with new possibilities.

"We had kids make boats made of foil gum wrappers strong enough to float a penny, guess the number of paper clips in a jar, anything we could think of to stimulate their thinking processes. We also try to get them excited about transportation from a different viewpoint each year," she said.

By Craig Wilkins

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Beginning Aug. 1, the Mn/DOT Web site has a new feature—a page where the news media can go for the latest news releases and other information about transportation issues.

Designed by the Office of Communications and Public Relations, the media room page supplements existing district and Central Office news release pages and the "Hot Topics" page, said Judy Jacobs, Mn/DOT’s media team lead.

Updated regularly, the content of the media room will include general information about Mn/DOT, new hot topics, news releases and speeches, Jacobs said. News media will have contact information to obtain video footage on stories, and will soon be able to download photos, images and logos from the site.

The media room will provide staff names and contact information as needed for specific news releases or current issues. A map identifying Mn/DOT districts is on the media room page with direct links to district pages.

To view the site, click on www.dot.state.mn.us/mediaroom/.

By Gail Gendler

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Security reasons affect use of Lot G by Mn/DOT employees.

In order to increase security in the Transportation Building, direct access to the building via the garage ramp is restricted to employees authorized to have key cards. All others must use alternative entrances to enter the building.

Garage doors will open only by the use of keycards or manual bypass by garage staff members from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on business days.

A card reader, cameras and an intercom system installed on Lot G’s center island increase security and provide a way to call for help if needed, said Farhad Moin, Business Operations/Recovery manager.

Visiting district engineers and other managers need to use the Lot G intercom to obtain a daily parking pass from garage staff or to obtain help if they experience problems.

Other Mn/DOT employees visiting the CO must go to the first floor information center to obtain a parking permit for Sears (Lot X) due to limited space in Lot G, Moin said.

The changes reflect Mn/DOT’s commitment to improving safety and security.

"We at CO will continue to assess our vulnerabilities and will take measures to correct them," he said.

By Maya Beecham, Office of Administrative Services

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Mike Sobolewski, Mn/DOT's new transportation security analyst, checks a security Web site for information.

Mike Sobolewski, a Metro Division project manager, was appointed this month to a one-year mobility assignment as transportation security analyst in the Management Operations Group. He will serve as staff to Mn/DOT’s Security Task Force, reporting to Bruce Biser, assistant director, Management Operations Group.

His new responsibilities include:

• Facilitating a structured, department-wide assessment of which roads, bridges, buildings and other structures are vulnerable to terrorists, and what countermeasures can be put in place to make them less so;

• Coordinating Mn/DOT's response to security initiatives coming from several government agencies;

• Partnering with other agencies to develop coordinated emergency response plans; and,

• Evaluating potential vendors for training, assessments, and countermeasures.

He will continue as Mn/DOT’s liaison with the federal Homeland Security Department.

In his 18 years with Mn/DOT, Sobolewski served in communications and project management positions with Duluth/District 1, Metro Division and the Intelligent Transportation Systems Office.

Sobolewski holds a bachelor of science degree from Northern Michigan University. He can be reached at 651/297-5149, MS 140.

By Marsha Storck

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Ken Rakke of St. Cloud Metro Transit System and Roger Benitt of Tri-Valley Heartland Express, Crookston, captured first place in the large and small bus categories at the Statewide Bus Roadeo held in Rochester on July 27.

Drivers competed in four categories—driving skills, smoothness of operation, safety habits and personal appearance. They also took a written quiz following a training session on Operation Lifesaver, which promotes railroad-crossing safety.

Dennis Smith of Granite Falls Heartland Express captured second place in both the small and the large bus divisions. Paul Bunyan Transit, Bemidji, drivers David Roberts and James Lundgren placed third and fourth, respectively in the small bus division. Duluth Transit Authority driver Mike Clement placed third and Duane Lundgren of Metro Transit placed fourth in the large bus category.

The roadeo course simulates everyday driving maneuvers such as off street parking, left-hand turns and passenger pick-ups. On-board judges rate the drivers' ability to deliver a smooth ride and their safety habits.

The event, sponsored by transit providers and Mn/DOT with support from the federal Rural Transit Assistance Program, promotes safety by encouraging and rewarding professional driving skills. It also promotes the operators sharing their skills and expertise.

"The roadeo promotes safety, builds camaraderie and allows us to show the drivers how important they are to their transit systems and the communities they serve," said Barb Quade, RTAP coordinator, Transit.

By Craig Wilkins

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The Office of Research's Web site now offers one-stop access to transportation research

Engineers, city planners, researchers and the public will find it easier than ever to get the research-related information they need. Mn/DOT’s Web site now offers one-stop access to transportation research conducted by the department and the Local Road Research Board.

Users can access more than 500 transportation research abstracts from the new site. The two organizations now share one database for research reports. Users can search by title, author, key word or any text in the 250-word report abstract.

Abstracts of all reports are viewable online. Users can also read or download the full text of reports published since 1999. Reports that are not available online can be obtained through the Mn/DOT Library with just a few clicks of the mouse.

All Mn/DOT research reports will be published electronically via the research Web site.

"The new Web options fit with Mn/DOT’s objective to offer more services online. These improvements help us to operate more efficiently and effectively," said Dave Johnson, assistant director, Research Services.

In addition to online reports and the new database, the redesigned site also highlights new research and ORS happenings in the monthly Web site News feature.

Click here to view the research Web site (http://www.research.dot.state.mn.us/). Check back often to keep up on developments in transportation research.

By Merry Rendahl, Office of Research Services

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