Climbing up on my soap box

This post is going to verge on serious.  I'm going to admit something here that might shock you.  I like in the most dangerous city in this nation.  St. Louis overtook Camden, NJ in 2009.  I've never felt unsafe here.  Not really.  Until now.  A few weeks ago, just a block away from where I work, two people were killed AT A FUNERAL. It may or may not have been gang related.  It was a little freaky seeing the road closed off, literally a block away from our office.  I don't know the details of what happened...mourners report that at least 3, possibly four people, were shot that day.

Now, I hear about another shooting at another funeral.  What??  This one was in Kansas City, which is still too close for coincidence don't you think?  School shootings were all the rage several years ago.  I don't say that to be cavalier.  I'm just saying that for a while, it seemed liked school shootings were happening left and right.  And now, the funeral home shootings are like the "thing" to do.  Why can't we just bury people in peace?  Isn't it bad enough that someone has died?  Are people so insensitive and selfish that they have to pull out a gun at a funeral?  I just don't get it.

As if the criminal side of St. Louis weren't bad enough, now we have other safety issues.  The Missouri Department of Transportation has made budget cuts.  They will plow less.  They are going to leave more snow on the roads.  Instead of getting all the snow off the roads, they are planning to now just make the roads PASSABLE!  Here are a couple of quotes that I find frustrating and somewhat appalling:

Dave O'Connor said "MoDOT has implemented some cost-saving changes this year, but they shouldn't affect people's ability to drive on the road."  He also said "We don't expect them to see any significant changes."  This article I read was out on December 11th.  At that time, I was getting worried because I knew winter weather was fast approaching.  Now that it has arrived, there have already been several accidents, including one death, after a woman went off the icy roads into water.  Fire departments are blaming MoDot for the recent accidents.  I think there would be accidents either way...but it does seem a bit suspect...

Anyway...I'll step down off of my box now.  I just had to get that off my chest.  Here's to praying we all stay safe after the freezing rain falls onto the still-snow-covered roads tomorrow.  In defense of MoDot, I do feel better after reading this and if you're in the area, maybe you will too.  OH AND IF YOU AREN'T IN THE AREA...FEEL FREE TO NOT READ THIS!


MoDOT's winter plan and savings
MoDOT's statewide goal and estimate is to save $10 million annually in snow fighting costs.  The
efficiencies and savings are projected in three areas: salt, manhours and fuel.  Again, these are projected
savings, since this is our first winter.  We will have actual savings at the end of the winter. Our average for
the past five years has been to spend about $41 million each year statewide.  We do not have St. Louis
specific numbers but hope to have them at the end of the winter.
MoDOT has not changed its practice on how we start to fight a storm.  We are still using all of our workers
and equipment to fight a storm.  We still prioritize our roads to treat the interstates first, then the major
roads like Olive, Lindbergh, Manchester, 141 and then we treat the smaller lettered roads and finally
clean up the exit ramps and outer roads.  The difference in our practice will be in how we end the storm
fight.  We used to continuing working all of our crews 24 hours per day until every road was completely
clear and not a speck snow was visible.  Now, we will not continue to work full crews overnight once the
roads are mostly clear with only snow on the shoulders and ribbons of snow on the stripes.  The next
morning crews will work on the roads again.  The savings here will be in not paying workers overtime and
having fuel costs of trucks all night long into the second or third day after the storm.
The other big savings comes in our technology and knowledge of how much salt to spread.  We have
more sensors in the pavement now so we can know exactly what the temperature of the roads and
bridges are and we can set our salt spreaders to release the right amount for the condition instead of
just setting the spreader to one setting and always spreading that much salt.  There is a science to how
much salt to spread at what temperature the road is and what temperature the air is.  The better we get at
that the more efficient we are with our salt usage.
One ton of salt costs the same as one ton of asphalt.  The savings MoDOT has in winter operations will
be spent on asphalt to improve our 32,000 miles of road in the summer.  Salt on a road helps Missourians
for a few hours.  Asphalt on a road makes that road better for 5+ years.  Given the limited budget, we are
trying to more efficiently use our money for the most long term benefit.
I know this is a lot of information.  I hope it helps you with some background knowledge and further
explanation.  For the vast majority of motorists, you won't be able to tell we are being more efficient.  We
are still fully fighting storms as they happen, we are just doing it smarter.