By Jessica Wiens

Sporadic winter weather moved across the state on multiple days in late January, keeping MnDOT maintenance crews busy clearing state highways and resulting in a number of vehicle-snowplow crashes statewide.

On Jan. 20, one of the larger systems of this season targeted southern Minnesota.    

Bradley Bruegger, District 7 Traffic/Wells Truck Station, was plowing Hwy 22 in Kiester around 2 p.m. when his truck was struck by a train. Bruegger’s plow was pushed one-third of a mile down the tracks. He was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, where he is now recovering.

Several other property damage crashes where a motorist hit a snowplow occurred statewide in late-January. All of these other crashes occurred because a motorist rear-ended the back of a plow. 
                                                                                                        
To date, fewer than 15 crashes involving a motorist who crashed into a snowplow have been reported this season. In comparison, by this time during the 2010-11 season, MnDOT recorded nearly 50 crashes. 

The price tag for shutting down construction projects last July so far has amounted to $2.04 million, and is expected to be much higher once all the project claims are settled, according to testimony MnDOT gave before the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 26.

Jon Chiglo, Engineering Services Division director, said that of the 165 construction projects that were affected by the 2011 state government shutdown, 29 to date have settled for money and 52 have settled for time-extension only. However, he said, some of those settling for time may later make monetary claims if unanticipated costs (e.g., material and labor escalation) occur.

Chiglo told the committee that 117 of the 165 projects are now completed, thanks in part to the mild weather the state experienced last fall. He said another 36 projects had work pushed to the 2012 construction season or beyond, and 12 projects that were scheduled to begin in 2011 will start work in 2012.

When asked what the total cost for shutting down the projects will be, Chiglo said it is too early to say.

“We’re still focusing on trying to mitigate the costs,” he said, adding that MnDOT is doing its due diligence to carefully review all claims so that compensation is “fair and defendable.”

Prior to the July shutdown, MnDOT had only two instances where claims were filed due to a suspension of a project.

MnDOT contracts entitle the prime contractor to submit a claim associated with the suspension of work, such as that caused by the state government shutdown last July. MnDOT contracts also allow for an adjustment in compensation on claims for materials or work not covered in the contract.

Each project can have multiple claims—those relating to expenses from pre-shutdown activities (e.g., cost of accelerating the project, maintaining traffic control, onsite preparation); those during the shutdown (idle equipment, extended field overhead, and traffic control and erosion control); and post-shutdown (project acceleration, unabsorbed home office overhead and material escalation).

The committee also heard testimony from the Associated General Contractors and one of its members, the owner of a small construction company.

By Bob Filipczak

Few things get the adrenaline going faster than hitting, or nearly hitting, a deer with your car or truck. And while we put up signs to designate deer crossing areas, the deer are notoriously bad at following the signs or, for that matter, even reading the signs.

MnDOT is trying out some new technologies that will help motorists get better, more immediate information in areas where deer frequently cross Minnesota highways.

The Deer Detection and Warning System project is currently in phase two, according to project manager Ken Hansen, Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology. The project is designed to detect deer in the area, then light up a deer crossing sign so motorists become more aware that wildlife is currently near the road.

One aspect of the technology is a break-beam system where a beam is set up between two points. If anything breaks the beam, the light on the deer crossing sign flashes.

The system setup on Hennepin County Road 121 in Dayton that went live in November 2011 employs an area sensor that detects motion using the same technology you might find in motion sensor light. The system is calibrated to detect critters that are more than two feet high, so it doesn’t light up every time a raccoon or skunk is in the area.

Phase one of the project took place 12 miles south of Marshall on a stretch of Hwy 23 along Camden State Park that typically experiences a lot of deer traffic, in addition to fog. The results from that test show:

• 57 percent reduction in DVC in 2007
• 33 percent reduction of DVC in 2008

Like Marshall, the Dayton project is near a regional park. In addition to the new detection methods, the system has a monitoring feature so researchers can tell where the most activity is happening.

Because it’s located near a horse trail, not all of the activity being picked up is wildlife, according to Hansen. In fact, the system is receiving activations from horses that leave the trail, people walking in the ditches and even snowmobilers riding the ditches.

“We will be detecting those additional non-wildlife types of things, but in the end, we thought that would be OK,” Hansen said. “We want to warn people that there is something in the ditch. It might not be a deer, but if there’s a person in the ditch, we want them to be aware of that, too.”

After the Dayton project begins to show results, Hansen said he hopes the program can grow and spread to other parts of the state.

“If there is interest in the districts, we’d like to see this statewide,” he said.

MnDOT’s African-American Resource Group will host two events in February as part of Black History Month that highlight African-American Leaders in Transportation, as well as effects transportation projects can have on communities.

The first AARG event features:

• Transportation Impacts to the African-American Communities of Minnesota—Wednesday, Feb. 15, 12–1:30 p.m.—MnDOT Central Office, Rooms G13 and G14

This public event includes a panel and discussion about the effects of past transportation efforts and focuses on how to engage communities today.

The work performed by MnDOT employees has a profound effect on the quality of life of all Minnesotans, according to Vanessa Levingston, Office of Customer Relations.

“Community values, accessibility and public involvement are important considerations in transportation planning and program delivery,” Levingston said. “The public has expectations that as we perform our daily operations of planning, constructing and maintaining roads and transportation systems, our duties are performed with their best interest in mind.”

For the African-American community in St. Paul, the construction of Interstate 94 is a divide that runs deep in the history of what is known as the Rondo Community.

“In this instance, there was an absence of consideration to community values, accessibility and public involvement,” Levingston said.

Panelists for the Feb 15 event include:

• Nieeta Presley, executive director of the Aurora/St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation and a child of the Rondo Community
• Rev. Kevin M. McDonough, pastor of Church of Saint Peter Claver in Saint Paul
• Veronica Burt, policy advocate/cultural organizer with JUST Equity
• Lowry Johnson, state president of AARP Minnesota and retired Minneapolis Public Schools principal

The AARG also will host:

• African-Americans in Aviation: Then and Now—Wednesday, Feb. 29, 1–2:30 p.m.—Minnesota History Center, 3M Auditorium

The event features panelists with aviation experience that will share personal aviation stories of triumph and defeat from an African-American perspective. Invited panelists for the event include:

• Maj. Joe Gomer, Tuskegee Airman—Maj. Gomer is one of just 46 surviving Tuskegee Airmen and the only one residing in Minnesota (Duluth).

• Woodson M. Fountain, Northwest Airlines’ first African-American pilot—Fountain started his career with Northwest Airlines in 1969 and worked 31 years for the organization.

• Mamie Langford Singleton, Youth Initiative Aviation Academy executive director—YIMA is a non-profit organization that develops and conducts specially focused academies for at-risk youth. Students receive aviation and ground school training, as well as a discovery flight and hands-on flight training session.

In addition, a poster display featuring African-American leaders in transportation will run:

• Feb. 1–15, Central Office Building
• Feb. 20, 2:30–5 p.m.; Feb. 24, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., State Capitol, Great Hall

For more information about any of the upcoming AARG events, contact Vanessa Levingston at 651-366-3177.

Check out these recent updates to MnDOT’s internal and external websites:

• Find out who to contact for legal counseling or guidance at the Office of Chief Counsel’s new website: ihub/chiefcounsel/. The website features a full list of MnDOT staff attorneys and their areas of expertise.
  
  
• View photos from MnDOT Photographer David Gonzalez’s gallery event held earlier this month at www.dot.state.mn.us/temp/gonzalez2012/.
  
  
• Learn more about complete streets and integrated transportation planning by visiting the newly revamped website at www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/completestreets/index.html. Employees can brush up on complete streets policy and development, browse the implementation work plan and check out advisory group meeting minutes.

By Libby Schultz

Radio Communications is defined as the transmission and reception of voice or data signals travelling through free space. These electronic communications allow MnDOT maintenance staff to communicate with one another, as well as personnel from other state and local agencies. 

Keith Holmstrom, northwest region radio maintenance supervisor, is charged with making sure all electronic communications are maintained and running smoothly in the northwestern area of the state. His current workload centers around the ongoing implementation of the state’s new Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response system—a shared public safety radio communication system.

Holmstrom has worked in the Office of Electronic Communications for almost 24 years, serving the last six as supervisor of the northwest region team, which consists of 11 radio technicians, two Road Weather Information System technicians, one Labor Trades and Equipment employee and one ARMER radio engineer. The team serves facilities in Detroit Lakes, Crookston, Thief River Falls, Bemidji and Baxter.

Where do you spend most of your time?

I’ve worked my entire career in District 4/Detroit Lakes, but I am technically a Central Office employee out of the Water’s Edge facility in Roseville.

How is radio communications different from other communications departments at MnDOT?

We are quite unique in comparison because we are responsible for the installation and service of the wireless communications for almost all departments in the state. Our communications is electronically based, which usually consists of a two-way radio mounted in some type of motor vehicle where the operator of that motor vehicle has the ability to communicate with other co-workers and dispatchers via radio towers that are strategically located throughout the state.

What do you do on a daily basis?

Currently, we are undergoing a complete transformation of our old analog VHF radio system to a digital trunked radio system known as ARMER. This transformation occupies most of our time at this point. The largest part of the transformation is the construction of additional radio towers to provide 95 percent radio coverage throughout every county in the state. When complete, the northwest region will have around 100 radio towers.

Every member of my team plays a vital role on a daily basis to achieve our goal to decommission the VHF radio system by the end of 2012. With the help of our engineering staff from the Roseville office, we are all involved in updating our older tower sites to support the trunked radio system and also support the construction of the new tower sites. This may include tower site construction location, site layout, site inspections, ARMER system equipment installations, then finally putting the site “on the air” and ready for use.

What is a challenge you’ve faced at your job?

A few years ago, we received permission from a land owner to construct a new tower site on his private property and had nearly completed the purchase process when we were met with a coalition of neighbors that didn’t want a tower at that location. We had a town hall meeting scheduled in hopes that we would be able to meet those that opposed the location so we could learn what the issues were. As it turned out, Mother Nature had a different plan. We were there as the state’s representatives, but because of the weather, hardly anyone else showed up, including all of the opposition. After listening to their concerns and considering their recommendations, we all agreed to a new location that was suitable to all involved.

What would you like people to know about your job?

I would like people to know that the Federal Communications Commission has mandated the conversion to narrow band by the year 2013. With this mandate, the state is changing the radio system. It was decided to pursue a trunking system in the 800MHz band that is now referred to as ARMER.

Some of the departments within the state that utilize the ARMER system are MnDOT, State Patrol, DNR and the BCA, just to name a few. With the ARMER system, a common resource was provided that not only state departments would utilize, but all public safety entities across the state.

At times of crisis across the state, like a forest fire, flooding or a large scale catastrophe where multiple agencies from all over the state respond, it is now possible to have radio communications with everyone involved.

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: Linda Aitken keeps MnDOT’s tribal relations in forward motion
• On the job: Holly Kostrzewski strives to reduce highway fatalities in northern Minnesota
• On the job: Addi Batica makes sure contractors meet employment goals

By Lisa Yang

Janese Thatcher, Aviation Education, Safety and Training manager for Aeronautics, recently received the 2012 Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year award for the Minnesota and Great Lakes region. The National General Aviation Awards Committee presented the award.

“These awards highlight the important role played by these individuals in promoting aviation and education and flight safety,” said JoAnn Hill, General Aviation Awards Committee chair.

Thatcher’s Fly Minnesota Airports program, a partnership with the Minnesota Council of Airports, was one of the programs submitted as part of her nomination package. The program promotes aviation, safety and education by encouraging pilots to practice approaches and landings in many different environments at airports around the state. Under the program, pilots are rewarded for:

• Flying to 34, 68 and 130 out of a total of 135 publically owned airports in Minnesota
• Attending Federal Aviation Administration safety seminars
• Visiting history museums to learn about Minnesota’s aviation history

Regional award winners also are finalists for the national awards. Thatcher’s name has been forwarded to Washington, D.C., to be considered for the national award. Winners will be announced by March 1.

The General Aviation Awards program recognizes excellence in individual aviation professionals on the local, regional and national levels for their contributions to aviation education and flight safety. It is a cooperative effort between the Federal Aviation Administration and more than 17 general aviation businesses and organizations.

For more information on the Fly Minnesota Airports program, visit www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/aved/Passportprogram/Passport.html.