AS PART OF GOVERNOR BOB TAFT S

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1 Ohio Department of Transportation Employee Newsletter February 0 Turnpike Initiative A Success Accidents on Parallel Routes Reduced by up to 0 Percent Lindsay Mendicino, Central Office cident numbers on parallel routes are down significantly and truck counts on the Turnpike are up. The pilot program will continue for another six months, but ODOT expects the data collected during the next six months to confirm what the department has already seen. We have seen a very real and dramatic truck reduction on parallel routes, said ODOT Director Gordon Proctor. The governor s Turnpike Initiative has and will continue to improve safety and mobility throughout northern Ohio. To track the success of the program, ODOT has been monitoring truck traffic at nearly 40 sites across northern Ohio. Truck traffic on State Route in Ottawa County has fallen 0 percent from 3,400 trucks daily to 1,340 trucks daily. Traffic on parallel routes in Erie, Sandusky and Fulton counties is down at least 5 percent and truck traffic in Geauga County on U.S. Route AS PART OF GOVERNOR BOB TAFT S continuing focus on providing Ohio with a safe and efficient transportation system, ODOT is leading a pilot program to move trucks off of state routes that parallel the Ohio Turnpike. ODOT is partnering with the Ohio Turnpike Commission and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) to move these trucks back onto the Turnpike. The effort has been a success. After one full year of the pilot program, truck traffic and acis down percent. Overall, on the key parallel routes, truck traffic is down.4 percent. Data from the Turnpike shows an additional 110 million miles of truck traffic has occurred, most of which has been pulled from the parallel routes. Accidents have been harder to measure because of the need to pull data from more than 150 local police jurisdictions. Additionally, there is often a lag time between when the accidents happen and when the reports are available. However, on routes where reports are generated only by OSHP and local sheriffs, crashes are down 4 percent. ODOT will continue gathering and analyzing crash data from all local jurisdictions even after the pilot program is over to fully comprehend how the reduc- (see TURNPIKE on page ) photos by Sommer Dunlevy, D-4 Leading the Way: ODOT Spearheads Initiative to Increase Safety and Mobility in Northern Ohio Lindsay Mendicino, Central Office IN THE MID-19S, THE OHIO TURNPIKE raised tolls by an average of 8 percent. The toll increase had an immediate impact on the trucking industry as truckers began using parallel state routes to avoid the higher turnpike tolls. Truck volumes grew dramatically in the following years on routes adjacent to the Ohio Turnpike that were designed for much less traffic. During the past 10 years, truck volumes on U.S. Route in Geauga County have grown from 00 daily to,0 trucks daily, and traffic volumes doubled from 1,500 trucks daily to 3,000 trucks daily on State Route across most of northern Ohio. The increase of trucks using the smaller routes instead of the Turnpike created safety concerns and gridlock conditions as well as excessive noise, congestion and fumes in many northern (see LEADING THE WAY on page )

2 LEADING THE WAY (from page 1) TURNPIKE (from page 1) With the pilot program the toll reductions vary from about percent for lighttion in truck traffic has affected accidents Ohio communities. An ODOT analysis er commercial vehicles to 57 percent for on the parallel routes. Preliminary num- showed that on several of the rural paral- the heaviest trucks, reducing the cost of bers do show crashes involving trucks lel routes there could be as many as 1,000 a trip from border to border to only $31 on the Turnpike are up 37. percent, but trucks a day moved back to the Turnpike only $1 higher than the rates were in with truck vehicle miles of travel up by by lowering truck tolls and increasing 1955 and a huge draw for trucks to return 5 percent, accidents have held relatively the truck speed limit on the Turnpike. to the Turnpike. The toll reductions took steady with the additional traffic. While With this in mind, ODOT partnered with effect Jan. 1, 05. ODOT does not want to see an increase the Ohio Turnpike Commission and the ODOT shared the cost of the reduced in accidents on any route, accidents in- Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) to tolls with the Ohio Turnpike Commission volving trucks on the Turnpike are typi- develop a plan to move trucks back to by providing $15. million in 05 to the cally much less severe than those on the the Turnpike. Turnpike Commission to cover lost revparallel state routes. The state routes are Ohio is the transportation crossroads enue. However, due to the large number narrow, two lane routes not built to ac- of our nation, and truck traffic is vital to of trucks moving back to the Turnpike, commodate large vehiturnpike revenue fell by only cles, leaving less room Change in Daily Truck Traffic from 1994 to 00 about $8 million due to lower for error or recovery tolls, about four percent less for trucks and causing than 04 revenue. more severe, head-on ODOT also provided $.5 collisions. million to OSHP to pay for The Turnpike Iniadditional law enforcement tiative has done a lot for on the parallel state routes. Bellevue, said city of Extra law enforcement hit the Bellevue Mayor David road in October 05 with Kile. When the tolls 5 additional OSHP troopers were reduced, we nomonitoring speed and weight ticed a change in the limits on routes parallel to the number of trucks drivturnpike. ing through our town the very first T he speed day. Overall, at least percent of the Change in Daily Truck Traffic from 00 to 05 limit for trucks truck traffic has moved to the Turnon the Turnpike pike. It has made a big difference in was increased the quality of life in downtown Belfrom 55 mph levue. I m grateful for the help. to 5 mph in The governor s Turnpike Initiative early Septemcontinues his focus on providing Ohio ber 05. with a safe and efficient transportawith all tion system. The Turnpike strategy three aspects complements Taft s Jobs and Progof the plan in ress Plan which will invest $5 billion place and iniinto Ohio s transportation system and tial nu mbers more than $0 million to widen and showing sucmake safety improvements to U.S. Route our economy, said Governor Bob Taft. cess, ODOT will continue to monitor 4, SR, U.S. Route and other key However, to accommodate this traffic, traffic and accidents throughout the last parallel routes across northern Ohio. we need to move the trucks traveling six months of the pilot program and will As a package, the widening and safe- across northern Ohio to the Turnpike work with the Ohio Turnpike Commisty improvements to these routes and the one of the state s safest and most reli- sion to determine how to make the proimplementation of the governor s Turn- able roads. gram permanent. pike Initiative will significantly improve The plan consists of lowering Turn We have already begun to see posisafety in northern Ohio, Proctor said. pike tolls for commercial trucks, increas- tive results with the implementation of (Details of the plan to reduce truck ing truck weight and speed enforcement the Turnpike strategy. Its continuation, traffic on routes parallel to the Turnpike on the parallel state routes and increasing along with ODOT s investment into the are highlighted in the related Leading the speed limit for trucks using the Ohio parallel routes will only continue to benthe Way article.) Turnpike from 55 mph to 5 mph. efit safety, Proctor said. Over 50% Decrease % to % Decrease 50 10% Dec. to 10% Inc. FULTON WILLIAMS BRYAN DEFIANCE HENRY 4 WOOD HANCOCK PAULDING CLYDE BELLEVUE HURON TIFFIN WILLARD MEDINA 4 WYANDOT ADA BUCYRUS SHELBY ASHLAND STARKALLIANCE MARION 3 CANTON EAST LIVERPOOL CARROLL HOLMES Over 50% Decrease % to % Decrease 50 10% Dec. to 10% Inc. FULTON DEFIANCE HENRY FOSTORIA BELLEVUE HURON TIFFIN 77 MEDINA ALLEN ADA 4 AKRON MEDINA 7 WYANDOT BUCYRUS GALION SHELBY RICHLAND ASHLAND MARION 3 ASHLAND WOOSTER ORRVILLE STARKALLIANCE 7 SALEM EAST PALESTINE COLUMBIANA CANTON MANSFIELD HOLMES MAHONING SUMMIT WAYNE HARDINKENTON SHARON YOUNGSTOWN 7 77 RITTMAN CRAWFORD UPPER WARREN PORTAGE CORTLAND PUTNAM DELPHOS VAN WERT 75 WILLARD TRUMBULL CUYAHOGA FINDLAY LIMA OBERLIN LORAIN NORWALK ELYRIA GEAUGA 4 4 SENECA HANCOCK VAN WERT CLYDE LORAIN HURON FREMONT DEFIANCE ERIE WOOD 71 CLEVELAND BOWLING GREEN 4 PAULDING PORT CLINTON ASHTABULA OTTAWA NAPOLEON 4 Over 100% Increase LAKE 51% to 100% Increase TOLEDO LUCAS 475 WAUSEON WILLIAMS BRYAN CONNEAUT ASHTABULA GENEVA 11% to 50% Increase 75 Ohio Turnpike Interstate Routes U.S. Routes State Routes 31% to 50% Decrease Miles 0 TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0 EAST PALESTINE 77 HARDINKENTON 7 SALEM COLUMBIANA MAHONING SUMMIT WOOSTER ORRVILLE MANSFIELD GALION WAYNE 71 ASHLAND RICHLAND SHARON YOUNGSTOWN 7 77 RITTMAN ALLEN 75 AKRON MEDINA 7 CRAWFORD UPPER WARREN PORTAGE CORTLAND PUTNAM DELPHOS VAN WERT LIMA 77 LORAIN FINDLAY VAN WERT ELYRIA OBERLIN NORWALK TRUMBULL CUYAHOGA SENECA GEAUGA 4 4 FREMONT FOSTORIA LORAIN HURON ERIE DEFIANCE 71 CLEVELAND BOWLING GREEN 4 PORT CLINTON ASHTABULA OTTAWA NAPOLEON Over 100% Increase GENEVA LAKE 51% to 100% Increase TOLEDO LUCAS 475 WAUSEON CONNEAUT ASHTABULA 11% to 50% Increase 75 Ohio Turnpike Interstate Routes U.S. Routes State Routes 31% to 50% Decrease Miles CARROLL EAST LIVERPOOL

3 Research Helps Prepare for Winter Ryan Larzelere, Central Office MAINTAINING THE ROADWAYS DURing the winter is vital to ensure the safety of the motoring public. When you think about maintaining the roads during the winter months, you probably picture ODOT trucks dropping their plows and spraying the roads with salt and brine. While this is a good start, there is also a great deal of research behind the scenes that goes into the maintenance of our roadways. The Office of Research and Development has a number of research projects underway with one goal in mind: making our roadways safer for everyone during snow and ice season. The Office of Research and Development does its part for snow and ice removal by testing new materials and equipment, and studying how planning and operations can be made more efficient, said Monique Evans, administrator for ODOT s Office of Research and Development. Currently, the department is looking at ways to improve upon its current anti-icing or pretreatment action plan by looking at data related to a number of variables that may have an outcome on the effectiveness of ODOT s pretreatment practices. The project is called RWIS Part IV Optimization of Pretreatment or Anti-icing Protocol for Snow and Ice. Most importantly, the testing gauges residual salt quantities and their impact on the current pretreatment plan. In other words, ODOT is looking at the impacts of how salt left on the road after a snow and ice event can impact how effective ODOT s current pretreatment plan is. This project is scheduled for completion in November 0. The better we get at predicting how much salt and other anti-icing materials we need annually, the more tax dollars we will save, Evans said. The more efficiently and effectively we can use this inventory, the safer the roads will be for the traveling public. Additionally, the accuracy of ground speed control spreaders is being tested by documenting controller settings with hopes of maintaining accurate calibration of the controllers to ensure the department is not using more salt than necessary. While the use of the controllers certainly helps maximize ODOT s efficiency when spreading salt, the department may be able to increase this efficiency even more by determining how accurate the controllers are and if and when they need to be calibrated. This project, Accuracy of Ground Speed Control Spreaders, is part of the Clear Roads Pooled Fund study being led by the Wisconsin DOT. Completion of this project is scheduled for October 07. Current Snow & Ice Related Research Projects Project Name RWIS Part IV Optimization of Pretreatment or Anti-icing Protocol for Snow and Ice RWIS Part V Vehicle Speed Associated with Winter Pavement Conditions Accuracy of Ground Speed Control Spreaders (part of Clear Roads) Effectiveness of RWIS Bridge Temperature Simulators Project Description How salt left on the road after a snow and ice event impacts the effectiveness of ODOT s current anti-icing/pretreatment plan. Identify deteriorating road conditions that may need extra attention during snow and ice conditions to ensure safety to motorists. Testing of ground speed control spreaders and their calibration to ensure we re using the right amount of salt. Compares simulated data with actual bridge conditions during snow and ice situations to better determine when crews need to be deployed for pretreatment activities. (see RESEARCH on page 8) Est. Completion Date November 0 November 0 October 07 June 0 TRAC Transportation Review Advisory Council TRAC Approves 07-1 Draft List Ryan Larzelere, Central Office IN JANUARY, THE TRANSPORTATION REview Advisory Council (TRAC) approved a $70.4 million draft list to fund major new projects in 07 through 1. TRAC currently has 11 projects under construction or under project development, totaling $3.4 billion. We are taking another step toward fulfilling our commitment to deliver Gov. Taft s Jobs and Progress Plan, said ODOT Director Gordon Proctor. This funding will help construct key projects that will improve our transportation system by relieving congestion and increasing safety across the state. This most recent draft list marks the third year of funding commitments for projects under Gov. Taft s Jobs and Progress Plan that was unveiled in 03. The plan, the largest transportation undertaking since the creation of the interstate highway system more than 40 years ago, will invest $5 billion over the next decade to rebuild Ohio s urban interstate networks, address high-crash and congestion locations and complete the state s rural macro-corridors. TRAC held four public meetings around the state between September and October to hear from project applicants about why their projects should receive funding. The draft project list is now subject to a -day public comment period before the final list is voted on and approved by TRAC in May. TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0 3

4 Ohio Leads Nation in Work Zone Safety and Mobility Joel Hunt, Central Office OHIO IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE NAtion fully compliant with new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations regarding work zone safety and mobility. While most states are scurrying to develop new processes, ODOT is already well prepared to meet the new standards, said Dave Holstein, administrator of the Office of Traffic Engineering. The regulations (CFR Subpart J) require any federal aid project to systematically assess and then address the impacts a construction project will have on safety and mobility. The regulations are the most encompassing changes to work zone regulations in several decades. All states are required to be compliant with the regulations by October 07. ODOT is ahead of the game because the department has been studying ways to reduce congestion and accidents in work zones for years. Much of ODOT s work zone processes revolve around identifying work zone capacity needs and determining ways to provide that necessary capacity, Holstein said. Past work zone initiatives and preparations for the Jobs and Progress Plan such as ODOT s Interstate Work Zone Policy, Organizational Performance Index (OPI) and training efforts have created the processes necessary to meet the federal requirements. Linking Safety and Congestion Ohio has one of the most aggressive safety programs in the nation. In 03, ODOT began placing greater emphasis on gathering timely crash data to identify emerging trends and quickly implement solutions to reduce fatalities and crashes. To support this, ODOT doubled its annual funding for improving high-crash locations from $ million to $5 million annually. Ohio is now among the top five states for spending money on safety initiatives and is possibly second only to 4 TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0 California. From the 03 Safety and Congestion Initiative, ODOT determined that when its high-crash locations are overlaid against high-congestion locations, they are almost an exact match, making congestion a key contributor to accidents. In addition, historical work zone crash analyses in Ohio show congested work zones can cause crashes, and work zones can also create congestion in otherwise congestion-free areas while also exacerbating existing congestion problems. From these studies, ODOT began developing policies to reduce congestion in work zones as a standard practice. ODOT carefully plans, lays out and monitors work zones according to a Maintenance of Traffic policy to optimize traffic flow through construction areas. Work Zone Maintenance of Traffic Policy ODOT s Work Zone Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) policy requires sufficient capacity in interstate and interstate lookalike work zones. Through the MOT policy, maintenance of traffic is addressed long before the detailed design phase of a project to identify work zone problems early. This allows the department to engineer a solution into the design of the project. When an engineering fix isn t possible or practical, contractors are called upon to submit innovative construction techniques to minimize the duration of a closure or the work reducing the roadway capacity. ODOT developed a Permitted Lane Closure Map as a standard for needed capacity on interstate and interstate lookalike routes. The map lists pre-defined times when sections of the interstate or look-alike route can have lanes reduced. The lane closure restrictions are applicable to both contract construction and in-house maintenance work. To reduce accidents caused by standing traffic, the department also uses Allowable Queue Thresholds to address capacity in work zones. Acceptable thresholds for Ohio include queues less than.75 miles and queues greater than.75 miles if the queue exceeds.75 miles for two hours or less. Although very few exceptions to ODOT s Work Zone MOT policy are granted, there is a committee in place called the Maintenance of Traffic Exception Committee (MOTEC) who reviews exception requests. MOTEC is comprised of ODOT s executive management and deputy director level engineering staff because maintaining traffic often has fiscal and schedule impacts to projects. Exception requests include the following information for multiple scenarios for each project: Queue lengths, queue durations, construction costs, construction schedules and mitigation strategies. Mitigation strategies can include Intelligent Transportation Systems, Web cameras, incident response, extensive public information campaigns, innovative contracting techniques and ramp closures. MOTEC reviews all of this information and makes a determination as to what will be best for the project and the traveling public: maintaining traffic or making an exception to allow reduced capacity but completing work more quickly or efficiently. OPIs Every interstate and interstate lookalike work zone is inspected twice yearly and rated by Central Office for adherence to standards, specifications and safety concerns. The results of the inspections are part of the department s OPIs. Any safety concerns are immediately brought to the attention of the district for correction, and district deputy directors are held accountable for their district s OPI performance.

5 OPI standards are revised as necessary to address common deficiencies. Training ODOT is currently undertaking the largest internal training initiative in its history. Two of the required classes for more than,500 ODOT highway workers and project inspectors focus on work zones. Testing and certification are part of the training classes. In addition, design consultants are now required to attend an ODOT Work Zone Design training class as part of their prequalifications. Real-Time Data and Cross Jurisdictional Approach In 04, ODOT initiated a new crash analysis program designed to identify work zone configurations that contribute to crash problems. The program uses historical and near real-time crash data to detect increases in crashes. The department can then quickly respond by identifying problems and modifying the work zones to prevent future crashes. ODOT is also working with local governments, businesses and others to develop a Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan for the state. The plan identifies engineering, enforcement and driver education strategies that will have the greatest impact in preventing injuries and saving lives. The plan targets serious types of crashes, such as head-on collisions as well as incident-related crashes including rear-end and work zone crashes. The Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan identifies causes specific to Ohio s fatal crashes and proactively targets those areas posing a growing threat to highway safety. This allows safety organizations to make critical decisions about where to invest limited time, money and resources. Safety Efforts Show Benefits ODOT s programs are showing results. While preliminary numbers for 05 show fatalities went up from 14 work zone fatalities in 04 to 17 in 05, this is a significant reduction from the 9 work zone fatalities in 0. In addition, the number of injuries and total crashes has steadily fallen since 03. In 03, Ohio saw,537 injuries in work zones and 7,409 crashes. This was reduced to,49 injuries and,389 crashes in 04 and 1,98 injuries and 5,5 crashes in 05 (05 numbers are preliminary). ODOT s goal is to reduce fatalities on Ohio s roads to less than 1,100 deaths per year by 08. As we move forward in this 10 year period of historically large construction ROAD SIGNS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND sizes but just because they are big doesn t mean they re easy to see. Now, a new font promises to help drivers see signs more clearly. Developed by a team of civil engineers, graphic designers, psychologists and vision experts, the new font, called ClearviewHwy, combines upper- and lower-case print with added space inside the letters. The result is a clearer sign that drivers can see better, day or night. Dave Holstein, administrator of ODOT s Office of Traffic Engineering, said when headlights shine directly on traditional highway signs the letters can turn into blurry blobs, making them hard to read. The new font, however, is thinner and easier to read even at night. Holstein said with all of these benefits, Ohio got federal approval for statewide use of the new font. The design team found older drivers need the current font on highway signs to be percent larger in order to see them clearly, said Jim Roth, programs that will yield some of the most complex work zones the state has ever seen, in some of its most congested areas, we must continue to be vigilant with our safety efforts, said ODOT Director Gordon Proctor. ODOT s processes are now being shared and discussed nationally in order to help other states become compliant with the new regulations. NEW ROAD SIGN FONT Easier to Read Joel Hunt, Central Office signing engineer in the Office of Traffic Engineering. But to make the current font percent larger you have to make the signs themselves 40 to 50 percent larger because the font would be taller and wider. Now you re getting into problems supporting the larger signs as well as overcrowding. According to Roth, ODOT will purchase two versions of the ClearviewHwy software one for his office to design the signs and another for the sign shop to produce them. The font comes in 13 sizes and Roth said the department will purchase all 13. The new signs will start popping up on Ohio highways as old ones need replacing. Side-by-side comparisons of existing FHWA approved sign applications with the new ClearviewHwy typeface. images courtesy of the clearviewhwy.com Web site TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0 5

6 Ohio Hub Plan Advancing on Twin Fronts Tandem Studies Examining Economic Impact and Additional Rail Routes Stu Nicholson, Ohio Rail Development Commission THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNnel just might be a train. In fact, it could very well be one that many Ohioans haven t seen or been able to ride in decades: a passenger train. That possibility will soon be two big steps closer to reality. Two studies now underway can significantly advance the Ohio Rail Development Commission s (ORDC) Ohio & Lake Erie Regional Rail/Ohio Hub Plan. The plan calls for redeveloping passenger rail and expanding service with high speed trains and increasing capacity in freight rail corridors for faster movement of more freight. The two studies, which began in December 05, will conduct a highly detailed analysis of the potential economic impact of the Ohio Hub Plan; and determine the feasibility of adding two new routes to the Ohio Hubs -mile master plan that covers Ohio and connects with five states and southern Ontario. The two potential new routes are Pittsburgh-Columbus-Lima-Fort Wayne-Chicago and Columbus-Toledo-Detroit. The study teams have already held several meetings to set up the framework for their field work, information gathering and how to analyze the information that is gathered. Both studies could be done within 0, with some preliminary information possibly available sooner. We can build this system, said ORDC Executive Director Jim Seney, who points out that the Ohio Hub is based on using mostly existing freight rail corridors and that the major freight railroads that serve Ohio are very much onboard. In fact, said Seney, we recently received letters of support from both the CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads. Both railroads have been involved in our planning process since day one, allowing us to incorporate their concerns and needs into the plan. After all, we are asking them to allow passenger trains to operate on their property, so there needs to be consideration given to how this plan will benefit them in moving more freight. Details on Twin Studies The economic impact study is being conducted by two teams of transportation economics experts, who have been tasked with taking a much more detailed look into numbers from the initial Ohio Hub study. Those numbers estimated an economic impact of:,000-plus construction jobs 1,500 permanent railroad jobs,000-plus permanent jobs tied to new development around rail stations and communities served by Hub trains $1-billion dollar increase in property values statewide Annual tax revenues increased statewide by $8- million The study team s goal is to quantify these numbers down to the local level to determine which communities, industries and other segments of the economy will benefit and by how much. For the second study, the study team will perform a detailed examination of the Passenger trains, such as this Kawasaki High Speed Rail system, are under study for use in Ohio. infrastructure (rails, bridges, right-ofway, station facilities, etc.) along the projected routes. Their aim is to determine, among other things: Condition of rights-of-way (both existing and abandoned), bridges, signal systems, tracks and rail beds Ridership projections from each community along the routes Existing or potential connections with other modes and amenities: highway, airports, mass transit, bikeways, hotels, business districts, etc. What needs to be done to bring route conditions up to grade to handle higher speed passenger and freight trains at greater volumes Seney expects the results of the two studies will move the Hub Plan into its next and most important stage: the detailed environmental impact study (DEIS). Seney said the importance of reaching that goal is that completing the DEIS will put Ohio in position to receive federal matching funds once a federal rail infrastructure funding program is created by Congress. A bill now before Congress, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (SB-151) could begin such a program. The U.S. Senate passed the bill by a margin of 93 to last fall. The bill awaits action by the House. To learn more about the Ohio Hub Plan, you can download copies of either the full plan or the executive summary at TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0

7 High Marks for Ohio Interstates Tied to OPI Ryan Larzelere, Central Office TRUCKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE spoken, and they agree that Ohio, in a tie with Georgia, has the fourth best highway system in the nation. According to Overdrive Magazine, a publication dedicated to tractor trailer operators, 0 of its readers were asked about the roads they frequently travel. Many of those asked are regulars who consider cross-country travel a part of their everyday routines. Criteria were based on the International Roughness Index, which is a calculation of the suspension deflection of a simulated mechanical system with a response similar to a passenger car. The simulated suspension motion is accumulated and divided by the distance traveled to give an index with units of slope. Overdrive ranks Ohio s roadways fourth best in the nation based on the assessment of pavement smoothness by those surveyed. The survey also showed Ohio s signs and safety markers were adequate and easy to read, and that the state s traffic moved swiftly with little cause for concern. It is no coincidence that Ohio s roadways are among the best. ODOT uses a tool to carry out core business functions called the Organizational Performance Index (OPI). The OPI is a set of expectations and measures that ensures ODOT A Truck for All Seasons Ron Poole, Central Office DIFFERENT SEASONS USUALLY MEAN the use of different types of equipment for ODOT s highway technicians. An asphalt mixer is of no use during snow and ice season; a snowplow can t lay asphalt on a construction site. But what if the same truck could be modified to do different jobs all year long? The Division of Facilities & Equipment Management with Central Office is performing in an acceptable fashion in terms of core business areas. The index tracks the progress of work on guardrail, pavement deficiencies and drop-offs, vegetation obstruction, litter, drainage ditch obstructions, sign deterioration and pavement markings. Each year, a team from the Office of Maintenance Administration divides the state into quadrants and does a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) of each section every quarter to survey the whole state annually. The results of the QAR go to the districts to let them know how they are tracking for the year in their OPI goals and can be used as a guide to identify areas that may need additional maintenance. There are 1 OPI categories in each of the 1 districts, or 19 total categories in which to score a four or better out of six. In 05, ODOT got a four or better in 191 of the 19 total categories. ODOT s goal is to meet all OPI goals in all categories at all times. In 01, the department set out to develop County Organizational Performance Measures to address the county work as it related to customer needs, said Tony Vogel, deputy director of Highway Operations. By 05, each district had met all sixteen of the determined goals. With the trucking industry being a large portion of our customer base, it is reassuring that the accomplishment of these measures is exceeding customer expectations. introduced a prototype truck this year with a hook-lift system that allows one truck to perform many functions simply by changing its bed and payload. A truck chassis can become a wrecker, flatbed, dump truck or snowplow. The same vehicle can be turned into a tow truck or a salt-spreader, a mixer or a dump truck whatever is needed by the garage. What s more, the truck can be (see TRUCK on page 8) 0 is the Year of the Interstate Ron Poole, Central Office THIS YEAR MARKS THE ANNIVERsary of the federal law that brought 50TH America its Interstate highway system. ODOT will be one of several state transportation departments coordinating with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) as part of a nationwide celebration. AASHTO launched the celebration with a media kickoff at the North American Auto Show in Detroit last month and is planning a series of commemorative events to last throughout the year. The highlight of the celebration will be a reenactment of the cross-country military convoy that traveled the Lincoln Highway in This trip, led by Dwight D. Eisenhower, was a key factor that later influenced Eisenhower s vision of a national interstate system of superhighways. AASHTO is planning a reenactment of this convoy early this summer from west to east, ending at zero milepost in Washington D.C. on June 9 the anniversary day on which the Highway Bill creating the system was signed into law. At present, the caravan will be stopping in Ohio on or about June 7. ODOT is taking the lead at planning a media event in conjunction with the caravan stop. The department is also hard at work establishing an online page linked to AASHTO s Web site, with historic photos and stories about Ohio s participation in this nearly 47,000 mile road system that has become an integral part of American life. Those wishing to view the AASH- TO Web site can find it at interstate50th.org/. Though still under construction, ODOT s page will be at: Watch future issues of Transcript for more news on the celebration. TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0 7

8 TRUCK (from page 7) modified in five minutes at the garage. Those of us who work in ODOT garages have all seen trucks we can t do anything with during a busy season, said Gary Streator, transportation manager with the Office of Equipment Management. We all saw the problem of having trucks that were not being used fully and started kicking around ideas. We made it our goal to design something new that could help garages around the state maximize their equipment use. The hook-lift is a long hydraulic arm anchored to the front of the cab and extending to the rear with a hook attached. The back of the truck is modified so it can have one of many beds built on simple A frames attached to it. These frames have built in metal rings for the hook on the hydraulic arm. To change the function of the truck, the truck is maneuvered into place under one of the A-frames and the arm attached to the ring. The hydraulic ar m then lifts and places the entire back of the truck into place. The hook is detached and the new truck is ready for the road. The original prototype truck is currently in use in District 3. There are three other trucks also in use in other district offices and another one is being built for District 4. The trucks have been very well-received by the garages. Highway technicians are coming up with their own ideas for new beds for the adaptable system. The new vehicles can be built in the same time frame as a regular snowplow truck. The hook-lift system does add about $5,000 to the cost of construction, but the resulting vehicle can replace two or three trucks for the price. Versatility is good, Streator said. We encourage anyone interested to ask about building a truck for their district or garage. Anyone interested in learning more about the hook-lift system and/or obtaining a new truck, can contact Gary Streator with the Office of Equipment Management by or at (14) The hydraulic arm on this modified truck makes it versatile yearround for hauling, plowing and construction applications. FYI... TOP Nominations Being Accepted The Office of Quality and Organizational Development in Central Office is now accepting nominations for the 0 Total ODOT Performance (TOP) Awards. The TOP Awards recognize ODOT employees and teams whose outstanding performance in areas such as customer service, communication and process improvement supports ODOT s mission, values and goals. Descriptions of award categories and nomination forms are available from Carol Schubert with Quality in Central Office at 75-57, or from any district quality coordinator. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 31, 0. The awards will be presented at the annual Team Up ODOT event on May 10. RESEARCH (from page 3) Another project is using vehicle speed associated with winter conditions to identify deteriorating road conditions that may need extra attention during snow and ice conditions. The department is working to establish parameters to help determine appropriate levels of service required to properly maintain these types of road conditions. The RWIS Part V Vehicle Speed Associated with Winter Pavement Conditions project is expected to be completed in November 0. One other materials issue being looked at is bridge temperature sensor simulator data compared to actual conditions. ODOT is the only agency in the country to test this type of simulator, and successful correlation between the data and actual conditions could result in more accurate and timely deployment of road crews to pretreat areas requiring attention. The study is expected to be completed in June 0. An implementation plan that documents how ODOT intends to use the findings and recommendations to solve problems or improve processes will accompany the completed studies. For a listing of the assessment and implementation plans, please visit OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 19 W. BROAD ST. COLUMBUS, OHIO 433 Phone: (14) Fax: (14) 44-8 Visit our Web site at Bob Taft, Governor Gordon Proctor, ODOT Director OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS Lindsay Mendicino, Editor Andy Eline, Layout/Design Editor PRINTED BY THE ODOT PRINT SHOP ODOT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 8 TRANSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 0