By R. Kent Barnard, Metro District Public Affairs

Work is progressing on major reconstruction of the Interstate 694/Hwy 10 interchange at Snelling Avenue/Hwy 51 and Hamline Avenue in Arden Hills. The project began in September 2011 and is one of nine projects planned for the I-694 North Central area, which also includes Shoreview, New Brighton and Mounds View.

This initial two-year project includes:

• Reconstructing surrounding highways
• Rebuilding bridges in the corridor

• Crews complete paving on the ramp from Lexington Avenue to eastbound I-694. Photo by Kent Barnard

  Separating two roadways
• Replacing right entrances and left exits to conform to current standards
• Improving safety and mobility

The work currently underway at I-694/Hwy 10/Snelling and Hamline avenues is one of four major projects planned for the I-694 corridor between I-35 and I-35W; it is the only project currently funded and scheduled. The other three projects encompass:

• I-694/Rice Street interchange
• I-694 from Rice Street to Victoria Street
• I-694/I-35W interchange

The current project features two new loop ramps on northbound Snelling Avenue that motorists can use to get onto westbound I-694 or westbound Hwy 10. The first loop will connect motorists to westbound I-694 while the second loop will be dedicated to motorists who need to get onto Hwy 10 via westbound I-694. These two loop ramps will allow traffic traveling west on either roadway to remain in the proper lanes.

Traffic traveling eastbound on I-694 or Hwy 10 will be separated from each other and new bridges will carry eastbound and westbound I-694 traffic over eastbound Hwy 10. Eastbound traffic on Hwy 10 will be able to exit on southbound Snelling Avenue or continue onto eastbound I-694.

At the east end of the construction project, two new bridges are being built to carry I-694 traffic over the Island Lake Channel. They will open to traffic by late fall 2013 and replace two existing bridges that were built in the early 1960s.

For more information on the I-694 North Central projects, including a three-minute project animation, visit www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/694expand/.

By Lisa Yang

The Enterprise Risk Management project team recently published its first quarterly risk report—a summary of several risk assessments completed during the past 18 months in three areas:

• Organizational
• Capital programs
• Highway System Operations Plan

“The intent with ERM is to better understand, manage and communicate about our risks,” said Bernie Arseneau, deputy commissioner and chief engineer. “Using ERM, we continually look for opportunities to improve our efficiency, effectiveness and planning for how best to address key risks and maintain critical agency functions that protect and enhance the quality of life for Minnesotans.”

Identifying risks involves setting clear goals and objectives, then thinking through and planning for things that could happen that might keep MnDOT from achieving its goals. Risk management helps an organization understand where it needs to prepare now to reduce the impact or likelihood of certain events, as well as recognize where it should accept more risk in order to achieve its goals.  

For each identified risk, participants were asked to consider how big an impact that risk event or condition would have on MnDOT’s goals. Then, participants were asked to predict how likely it is that the event or condition will take place in the next four years.

The risks listed in this report are not necessarily true today, according to Eric Davis, ERM project manager. Risks that have the most potential to keep MnDOT from its goals—those that are likely to happen, have a big impact, or both—are classified as “high” risks. They depict what could happen and help the agency prioritize and focus its efforts. 

One example of risk management in action is the Better Roads for a Better Minnesota program, Davis said. The major risk was that state highways classified in ‘poor’ condition was going to significantly increase from 750 miles in 2011 to 1,900 miles in 2020.

“In response, we created the Better Roads for a Better Minnesota program to focus on delivering several paving projects and reduce the amount of ‘poor’ pavements,” Davis said. “While this effort won’t eliminate our ongoing concern about increasing ‘poor’ quality pavements, the program will make significant strides in the near term to improve the conditions on the state highway system, help to boost state economy, and address a quality-of-life priority for the public.”

“The report is an important milestone for the ERM project,” Davis said. “It allows agency leaders to effectively review and track the status of identified risks and the corresponding action plans. New risks will appear on future reports. Other risks may disappear from future reports because they’ll be resolved.”

Davis noted that employees in different work areas have varying viewpoints about MnDOT”s greatest risks. For some, the priority is maintaining level of service with rising fuel costs and salt costs and aging equipment. Others’ priority is protecting the public’s trust and confidence in the agency. Still, others care most about how MnDOT is going to maintain an aging network of roads and bridges in the future.

Employees are invited to attend the latest Commissioner’s Reading Corner discussion Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 1:30 p.m., in the MnDOT Library at Central Office.

Mary Jackson, Office of Environmental Stewardship, will lead a discussion of “Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life,” by Spencer Johnson.

Employees also can participate virtually via Adobe Connect and should log in as a guest no earlier than 1:15 p.m. All employees are encouraged to attend, even if they have not yet read the book, according to Qin Tang, MnDOT librarian.

This will be the ninth CRC event of the 2012 season.

For more information on the Commissioner’s Reading Corner, visit ihub/readingcorner. Employees with questions can contact Qin Tang at 651-366-3784.

An interview featuring Jackson’s reaction to the latest book will be available soon at ihub.dot.state.mn.us/readingcorner/interviews.html.

By Lucy Kender, Office of Human Resources

Employees interested in finding their complete training records or registering for classes should visit MnDOT’s Learning Center.

Last year, MnDOT and several other state agencies participated in a pilot program known as Enterprise Learning Management—a central location housed on the Employee Self Service website for all agencies’ training information.

“Through the piloting of ELM, we realized the system couldn’t meet MnDOT’s business needs at this time, so we returned to the MnDOT Learning Center,” said Patti Follmer, Learning Center system administrator. “Employees should note that as part of the return, we moved the training records in ELM back to MnDOT’s system.”

The department completely converted back to the MnDOT Learning Center over the past few months with the expectation that employees will find it easier to use.

“We want to thank employees for their patience and perseverance during the piloting of the ELM system and transitioning back to the Learning Center,” Follmer said.

Through the Learning Center:

• Employees can find their training records; register for classes and E-learning
• Managers can monitor employee training activity
• Instructors can update registrations

For more information or assistance, employees can contact their employee development specialist or training representative.

By Libby Schultz

Did you know MnDOT operates 57 wastewater treatment facilities and 77 drinking water systems throughout the state?

Neile Reider, MnDOT’s water services principle engineer, works with the districts to manage these facilities with the goal of protecting public health and the environment.

“What we do is important, because when we do our job right, people don’t get sick,” Reider said.

Newsline recently caught up with Reider to learn more about his work managing the wastewater treatment facilities that serve rest areas, truck stops and other state buildings visited daily by motorists.

What is a common misconception about wastewater treatment?

Right or wrong, the saying is: “the solution to pollution is dilution.” However, with low flow technology, we use less water, which is good; but we end up concentrating the waste stream, which is not so good. A higher strength waste stream means that we need more technology or processes to treat wastewater.

What is a unique aspect of your job?

The regulatory environment surrounding wastewater systems is unique. There are federal requirements, state requirements and local requirements. Within Minnesota, there are about 207 ordinances at the local level that deal with decentralized wastewater treatment systems. There are also specific licenses you need to hold to design, operate, maintain and inspect these systems.

Another unique aspect is that we get to work very closely and develop strong relationships with the districts throughout the entire planning, design and construction process to implement successful systems.

What do you find rewarding?

’Wastewater Treatment is simple. The really hard part is keeping it simple.’

This quote embodies what our unit does. The districts are taking care of these systems and we try to make these systems as easy as possible to operate and maintain while still effectively treating wastewater. If we do our job right, everyone else’s job is easier. That’s my reward.

Where do people see your work in action?

Every time you flush a toilet or take a drink of water at a rest area or truck stop. Truthfully, I would say that most people don’t see my work. The joke in the industry is that everyone flushes and forgets.

What would you like people to know about your job?

That what we do is important, because when we do our job right, people don’t get sick.
 
I think that people hear about public health and environmental protection and don’t realize what it really means. A chemist said in the July 1869 publication of Scientific American (July 24, 1869:57), “The present water closet system … merely removes the bulk of our excreta from our houses to choke our rivers with foul deposits and rot at our neighbors’ doors. It introduces into our houses a most deadly enemy.”

The idea of how to manage water and wastewater in the United States has been around for a long time. To reflect how we operate today, what I would say in 2012 is that the present water closet system … removes excreta from our houses and treats it to safe levels so we don’t impact our neighbors.

Do you or a co-worker have an interesting job to share with readers? Click here to send us your ideas, and we’ll contact you for more information.

Recent employee profiles:

• On the job: Randy St. Ores helps keep traffic flowing on Stillwater Lift Bridge
• On the job: Rob Williams oversees Minnesota’s rest areas
• On the job: Praveena Pidaparthi keeps up with passenger rail trends