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Lake City, Florida<br />
August 2005<br />
Florida Department of Transportation<br />
D·I·S·T·R·I·C·T 2<br />
HIGHLIGHTS<br />
A Monthly Newsletter for the Employees of District 2<br />
511 is just down the road<br />
The statewide 511 travel information system would have helped these motorists on I-75 in Alachua County know that two lanes<br />
were closed ahead if they had used their cell phones to just dial 511. The system should be launched statewide in October.
511 Travel Information is Expanding Statewide<br />
By Gina Busscher<br />
Public Information Director<br />
F<br />
irst there was 411 to call to get a<br />
phone number. Then there was 911<br />
to call for emergencies. Now, there<br />
is 511 to call for real-time travel<br />
information.<br />
Beginning in the next month, travelers<br />
throughout the state will join Central<br />
Florida, Southeast Florida and the Tampa<br />
Bay area with the ability to call those three<br />
little numbers to get up to date traffic<br />
information on major state roads.<br />
Motorists on Interstates 10, 75, 95 and 295<br />
in the Northeast Florida area may already<br />
be seeing signs with the 511 logo as part of<br />
the upcoming statewide kickoff. The<br />
program is going through some final finetuning<br />
and should be ready by late<br />
September or early October as of press<br />
time.<br />
The 511 system provides information on<br />
traffic incidents, lane closures,<br />
construction updates, severe weather<br />
reports and Amber Alerts for child<br />
abductions.<br />
Florida, one of 23 states in the nation who<br />
have the 511 system, stands out as a<br />
national leader of 511 usage for traffic<br />
information. As of July, 2005,<br />
approximately 10.5 million calls have been<br />
made to the three regional systems (Central<br />
Florida, Southeast Florida and Tampa Bay)<br />
since they came on-line in 2002 and 2004.<br />
The call volume is approximately 28<br />
percent of the national total.<br />
511 provides information on:<br />
• traffic incidents<br />
• lane closures<br />
• construction updates<br />
• severe weather reports<br />
• Amber Alerts<br />
A new web site will also be available:<br />
www.FL511.com. This site will deliver all<br />
of the same<br />
information<br />
available by phone<br />
including lane<br />
closures and<br />
construction updates<br />
so drivers can make<br />
decisions before<br />
they leave home or<br />
work.<br />
The 511 travel<br />
information system<br />
gathers and relays<br />
information from a<br />
sophisticated<br />
network of sensors,<br />
cameras and weather<br />
stations to provide<br />
drivers more realtime<br />
travel information than ever before.<br />
For the first time, the system will cover<br />
every interstate in Florida and will allow<br />
you to transfer to more detailed reports<br />
from the Tampa Bay area, Southeast or<br />
Central Florida where you can also get<br />
information on public transportation, Port<br />
Canaveral and area airports.<br />
“We’re putting a lot of information at the<br />
consumer’s fingertips that will help them<br />
make better transportation decisions,” said<br />
Elizabeth Birrel, Intelligent Transportation<br />
Systems Program Manager for FDOT.<br />
511 will have an easy, voice-activated<br />
menu to request information by city,<br />
county or by specific roadway. It will give<br />
you real-time traffic information and note<br />
any delays caused by accidents,<br />
511 sign posted just south of the I-10 interchange on I-75 in<br />
Columbia County.<br />
construction and severe weather.<br />
To help promote the 511 travel information<br />
system, public service announcements<br />
have been recorded by UF football coach<br />
Urban Meyer and FSU football coach<br />
Bobby Bowden.<br />
2
Please extend a warm<br />
welcome to these<br />
new District 2<br />
employees: Chayan<br />
Bhattacharyya,<br />
Gainesville Construction<br />
and Dennis Yates, Surveying!<br />
Welcome Macey Rae Vittur, new<br />
daughter of Brandi Vittur,<br />
PLEMO and husband, George!<br />
Macey was born August 27 and<br />
weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces!<br />
Congratulations Pat Harrington,<br />
District Maintenance, on the birth<br />
of her fourth grandchild. Khenli<br />
Jewel Couey was born July 31 and<br />
weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces.<br />
Khenli was born to Lori and Chris<br />
Couey and she joins one sister<br />
Khloe, 3.<br />
Open enrollment October 3 - 28<br />
This year two new options have<br />
been added to the current healthcare<br />
menu. In addition to the PPO,<br />
HMO and Tricare Supplement<br />
offerings, a Health Investor PPO<br />
and Health Investor HMO will be<br />
offered. The two new, higher<br />
deductible options offer monthly<br />
state contributions. The money,<br />
deposited into an interest bearing<br />
Health Savings Account, is not<br />
forfeited at the end of the plan year<br />
and remains with the account<br />
holder even after the employee<br />
leaves the State Group Insurance<br />
Program.<br />
All insurance information will be<br />
mailed to the mailing address<br />
listed in your People First account.<br />
You are advised to check and<br />
update this information by Friday,<br />
September 9 at 5:30 p.m. to ensure<br />
your package is not delayed.<br />
Room for improvement<br />
By Cherilyn Moses<br />
District Maintenance<br />
The District 2 response rate for the<br />
employee survey has risen, but<br />
ranking number six out of the eight<br />
districts leaves us a lot of room for<br />
improvement.<br />
The Department’s statewide score<br />
increased 18.07 percent from the<br />
2000 survey. Every survey item<br />
has shown at least a slight gain with<br />
42 items that now qualify as<br />
strengths and only three that qualify<br />
as improvement opportunities.<br />
Many employees this year<br />
submitted written comments to<br />
PARTICIPATION RATES<br />
By District<br />
Eligible<br />
Districts<br />
Employees<br />
Surveys % of<br />
Surveys<br />
District 1 757 626 82.69%<br />
District 5 868 688 79.26%<br />
District 4 851 635 74.62%<br />
Statewide 7308 5407 73.99%<br />
District 6 513 379 73.88%<br />
District 7 654 473 73.32%<br />
Central<br />
Office<br />
991 721 72.75%<br />
District 2 950 689 72.53%<br />
District 3 697 471 67.58%<br />
Turnpike 456 294 64.47%<br />
express their pride in working in<br />
District 2. Some respondents<br />
commented on the sense of<br />
“family” in their work units and the<br />
positive effect their teamwork has<br />
on productivity. Other positive<br />
comments include the<br />
improvements that have been made<br />
by some supervisors.<br />
Three of our areas of concern<br />
remain the same as last year: Pay,<br />
People First and Perceived<br />
inequities in pay and workload.<br />
From the comments submitted<br />
some employees feel their pay is<br />
too low for the work they do and/or<br />
the level of responsibility they<br />
have. Others feel that their pay and<br />
the pay for employees in their<br />
section/area is below that of other<br />
section/areas.<br />
Employees continue to express<br />
frustration with the People First<br />
system. They feel the system is<br />
cumbersome, hard to navigate and<br />
have concern for employees who do<br />
not have the needed skills to utilize<br />
the system.<br />
New areas of concern for District<br />
2 this year are Communication,<br />
Recognition not given for a job well<br />
done and Alternate work schedules<br />
selectively allowed. The comments<br />
on communication included not<br />
being told of decisions affecting<br />
daily work assignments in a timely<br />
manner and that changes affecting<br />
possible long-term disruptions were<br />
not discussed with lower level<br />
employees.<br />
A statewide focus point for the<br />
2006 survey will be the<br />
participation rate. The Department<br />
as a whole fell from a steady 77<br />
percent participation rate to 74<br />
percent this year. District 2 fell<br />
from a 77 percent rate in 2003 to 72<br />
percent in 2004 and 2005.<br />
To everyone who took the survey<br />
we appreciate your willingness and<br />
support in sharing your opinions<br />
and ideas. We hope more of you<br />
will participate next year in helping<br />
contribute to our road map to<br />
improvements. Your opinion<br />
matters!<br />
Published by the District Two<br />
Public Information Office<br />
Gina Busscher, Director<br />
Debi Friedman, Editor<br />
386-758-3714 Suncom 881-3714<br />
3
4<br />
The Interstate 75 Welcome Center had its grand<br />
opening and dedication as the Joseph O. Striska<br />
Florida Welcome Center on August 5. Many<br />
tourist-related vendors were present including an<br />
"astronaut" from Kennedy Space Center,<br />
Southern Belles from Cypress Gardens and<br />
alligators from Gatorland in Orlando.<br />
FDOT was well represented as the owner of the<br />
new $13 million facility. The top left photo shows<br />
those who were involved with the year-long<br />
construction project (kneeling left to right) Jim<br />
Martin and John Fields and (standing left to right)<br />
Craig Teal, Stephanie Mott, Tom Crossman,<br />
Kathy Thomas and Jane Jones-Redd.<br />
Above, Marty Humphries, Lake City<br />
Maintenance, holds one of the special visitors that<br />
day -- a young gator from Gatorland. Marty<br />
wanted to take him home as a playtoy for his<br />
triplets.<br />
In the center photo at left, Mrs. Joseph Striska<br />
prepares to cut the ribbon along with other<br />
dignitaries including Rep. Dwight Stansel and<br />
Tom Crossman (at left in red tie).<br />
District Two Secretary Charles Baldwin was one<br />
of the guest speakers on the hot August day. The<br />
sign for the new Welcome Center designation was<br />
also unveiled.
Left, Lisa Butler,<br />
District Maintenance,<br />
helps colleague, Sandy<br />
Brink, add a little<br />
whipped cream to her<br />
ice cream sundae at the<br />
recent EBF Ice Cream<br />
Social held in the<br />
District Office Break<br />
Room.<br />
Gainesville Maintenance and Construction joined<br />
forces during EBF luncheons. Here employees<br />
enjoyed a spaghetti lunch with salad, and banana<br />
pudding! Yummy!<br />
Left, Steve Scanlan,<br />
Gainesville<br />
Maintenance, presents<br />
a plaque to Hamp<br />
Holden for 52 years of<br />
service. Hamp<br />
recently retired and<br />
was presented his<br />
plaque at the August<br />
EBF luncheon.<br />
Above, Patsy Elkins and Caryn<br />
Burt, Procurement, recently<br />
received certification as<br />
Florida Certified Contract<br />
Managers, Negotiators<br />
and Purchasing Agents.<br />
Right, Bill Henderson,<br />
PLEMO, presents<br />
retiring Keith Couey,<br />
PLEMO, with a<br />
plaque honoring him<br />
for 41 years of service.<br />
Keith received a TV<br />
from the employees.<br />
Sporting their DOT shirts, Debi Friedman and<br />
Gina Busscher, Public Information, present a<br />
check to Gaye Lynn Norman, FSECC<br />
Coordinator. The recent shirt sales netted FSECC<br />
$1,000.00! Another shirt sale is planed for later<br />
this year.<br />
5
Coreopsis Basalis Not Just for Roadsides Anymore<br />
FDOT Secretary Denver Stutler, FHWA Assistant Division Administrator Robert<br />
Wright, Florida Turnpike Enterprise Chief Operating Officer Chris Warren and<br />
District Secretary Charlie Baldwin with the Greener Roadside Award.<br />
By Dick Bush<br />
District Maintenance<br />
The photo submitted for Category III,<br />
Protected Native Remnants, shows stands<br />
of native Coreopsis, Coreopsis Basalis.<br />
This plant not only covers the road rightof-way<br />
but most roads and old fields in the<br />
North Florida area. For many years the<br />
only way the plant was distributed was by<br />
mowing machines. Consequently most of<br />
the older roads in North Florida have an<br />
abundance of this plant. Mowing for the<br />
first and possibly the second cycle is<br />
restricted to one pass on each side of the<br />
road. This allows the Coreopsis to<br />
complete its bloom cycle and produce seed<br />
for the following year. When the mowers<br />
do mow the old plants they scatter the seed<br />
plus move seed to other areas.<br />
This Coreopsis seed has never been<br />
available on the seed market. In the last<br />
two to three years farmers in North Florida<br />
have learned to grow and harvest this seed.<br />
They have been very successful in this<br />
endeavor, consequently there is an<br />
abundance of this seed available. This<br />
plant is well suited for right of way<br />
planting. The plant thrives on disturbed<br />
land that is sandy in nature and well<br />
drained. This Coreopsis is a full sun<br />
grower and tolerates drought. It is found<br />
growing with the native Phlox and other<br />
native and non-native wildflowers. The<br />
Coreopsis Basalis is also found in other<br />
southern states.<br />
The photo submitted for Category II,<br />
Non-native planting, is a planting done by<br />
the employees of the Lake City<br />
Maintenance unit about 15 years ago. It<br />
has proved to be one of the most successful<br />
plantings ever attempted. Over the years<br />
this planting has been exposed to<br />
construction debris, a sign contractor<br />
leaving large interstate signs lying on the<br />
site, mowing contractors mowing at the<br />
wrong time, harsh weather conditions, etc.<br />
With all of the adverse conditions the<br />
Texas Blue Bonnets and Texas Paintbrush<br />
continue to reseed and come back each<br />
year. We are seeing other sites in the area<br />
with the Blue Bonnets and Paintbrush. We<br />
believe seeds are being moved by the<br />
mowers and tractor tires.<br />
In an effort to improve the Wildflower<br />
Program, the Department of Transportation<br />
is working closely with the University of<br />
Florida, the Florida Department of<br />
Agriculture and the Florida Wildflower<br />
Seed Producers Co-Op. At present, there<br />
are 11 species of native wildflower seeds<br />
available. Some species are very limited<br />
and available only on a research level.<br />
The Florida Wildflower Advisory<br />
Council formed a few years ago, along<br />
with the Florida Wildflower vehicle license<br />
plate, is presently administering funds<br />
from the sale of the license plates. The<br />
funds are being used at present for research<br />
grants. Other grants are being planned for<br />
education, community native planting<br />
projects, etc. The sale of the Wildflower<br />
license late has recently topped $1 million.<br />
The future of Florida Wildflowers is<br />
bright.<br />
6
Fireflies shine bright; day and night<br />
By Michael Sandow<br />
Gainesville Construction<br />
In August of 2004, the 3M<br />
Company approached DOT about<br />
joint participation in a "High<br />
Visibility Research Project." The<br />
research would help determine the<br />
suitability of wearing highly<br />
reflective apparel in place of<br />
standard FDOT reflective vests.<br />
Knowing that the Maintenance of<br />
Traffic Committee was discussing<br />
this very issue and recognizing the<br />
importance of the research to the<br />
DOT, Gainesville Construction<br />
personnel agreed to participate.<br />
Thus began the "High Visibility<br />
Research Project" involving<br />
Gainesville Construction inspectors<br />
who affectionately became known<br />
as the Retro-Reflective "Fireflies."<br />
The Fireflies began the research<br />
project on October 12, 2004, and<br />
continued it over a period of 28<br />
weeks. During this period they<br />
wore either a reflective fluorescent<br />
red-orange or reflective lime-green<br />
shirt. They followed a strict<br />
protocol keeping record of the<br />
number of garment washings and<br />
filling out their data collection<br />
sheets. In addition to checking<br />
reflectivity, they also evaluated the<br />
Pictures from left on front row: Judy Waters, Dee Wood, Sandra Chitwood and<br />
Angela Vaughn. Standing: Bob Burch, Brandy Baxley, Michael Sandow, Amy<br />
Thompson and Greg Jones. Not pictured is Sid Wichard. Greg is also shown at<br />
left on the SW 16th Avenue resurfacing project in Gainesville.<br />
garments for comfort and durability.<br />
The Fireflies showed<br />
their true colors by<br />
participating in a<br />
nighttime demonstration<br />
video (produced by<br />
Mike Johnson) in which<br />
comparisons were made<br />
at different approach<br />
distances between the<br />
various types of<br />
reflective shirts,<br />
raincoats and vests.<br />
Once the research was<br />
completed, the Fireflies<br />
returned the garments to<br />
3M for measurement of<br />
reflectivity, background<br />
color and luminance.<br />
3M concluded that the reflective<br />
properties of the striping material<br />
plus the extra luminance provided<br />
by the fluorescent background<br />
colors made the garments as<br />
effective (and at certain times of the<br />
day more effective) as vests. In<br />
addition, the garments were found<br />
to be more comfortable and cooler<br />
than standard FDOT reflective<br />
vests worn over personal attire.<br />
Most important, the research<br />
provided the impetus for having the<br />
102-5.8 Specification and the 2006<br />
Design Standards Index 600 (Sheet<br />
3 of 10) include "High-Visibility<br />
Safety Apparel."<br />
So if you’re driving through one of<br />
Gainesville Construction’s work<br />
zones at night and you happen to<br />
see one of our Fireflies, don't try to<br />
capture them in a jar, just bask in<br />
their glow, and thank them for<br />
having shown so brightly.<br />
7
August Word Puzzle<br />
N P M G R E T T L R W S N T Y<br />
X O J O Q P G I S R O K R R J<br />
M R I O T K Z U M Y B A Q E Y<br />
F J T T T O L T P E V U D H N<br />
R E C B A M R E F E V H Q T O<br />
S E F L H T A I L G U C K A I<br />
T D P T K M R E S T P U U E T<br />
A F B K S H R O N T B O M W A<br />
T K T P R S B E P M S O C Z M<br />
E F F R W O I V Y S G F W R R<br />
W N D E R C W X R L N G X L O<br />
I E D E I F S T B P M A B Q F<br />
D I B F M W C O E H K W R W N<br />
E M F I N C I D E N T S I T I<br />
A E A D I R O L F I R E A L O<br />
Traffic Tip<br />
Drivers face the highest risk of a crash<br />
while crossing intersections. Florida<br />
law says an intersection with it’s traffic<br />
light out should be treated as a fourway<br />
stop. The first vehicle to approach<br />
has the right-of-way. If two vehicles<br />
approach at the same time, the vehicle<br />
on the right has the right-of-way.<br />
By Debi Friedman<br />
Public Information Office<br />
Having received help from more<br />
than 35 states<br />
during the<br />
2 0 0 4<br />
hurricane<br />
season,<br />
Florida<br />
reciprocated<br />
by sending a<br />
team of six<br />
F E M A<br />
Jason Lewis<br />
Materials & Research<br />
qualified<br />
volunteers to<br />
help with<br />
claims during the recent landslides<br />
in California.<br />
District 2’s Jason Lewis,<br />
Materials and Research, and<br />
Amber<br />
Efficient<br />
iFlorida<br />
Incidents<br />
Information<br />
Motorists<br />
Computer<br />
Tips<br />
To Enable or<br />
Disable Notifications of<br />
Completed Print Jobs<br />
1. Click Start, Settings and then click<br />
Printers and Faxes.<br />
8<br />
Network<br />
Real time<br />
Statewide<br />
Transportation<br />
Travelers<br />
Weather<br />
Virginia Parnell, PLEMO, were<br />
among the team sent for the 60-day<br />
deployment. Virginia, who worked<br />
in California for 30 days, relieved a<br />
District 3 volunteer who had to<br />
return home due to Hurricane<br />
Dennis.<br />
Both Jason and Virginia have<br />
received extensive training from<br />
FEMA.<br />
“Some of the workers had been<br />
there six months and really needed<br />
a break. We were able to get there<br />
and begin work immediately due to<br />
our training,” said Jason who<br />
strongly recommends this volunteer<br />
program to others.<br />
“It feels good to help others,”<br />
Jason added.<br />
Virginia agreed and added, “After<br />
all the help we received last year,<br />
July Word Puzzle<br />
X H W L P M V L H P H S T G N<br />
Z J B E D R E C A I E O C T O<br />
H U R R I C A N E E Y X P A I<br />
L N U X K O W R Y H S W O B T<br />
B U O D L X U O W U I E O D C<br />
S T S I G O L O R O E T E M I<br />
C Y S G T P R V W U T G L R D<br />
H A O M M A I E V I T C A O E<br />
S Y T E R V T V F D J I N J R<br />
N C M E A O P S L L H Y D A P<br />
I J B L G F T V A X L D F M J<br />
W Z K V T O A S V V I C A M Y<br />
M G K K T Y R I Z O E M L T B<br />
L J X D Y C G Y K C E D L W M<br />
P E B A Y T W D C F A V E N E<br />
2. On the File menu, click Server<br />
Properties.<br />
3. On the Advanced click the options you<br />
want to apply:<br />
•Show informational notifications<br />
for local printers. This option notifies<br />
users when a job is printed on a printer<br />
that is attached to this computer.<br />
•Show informational notifications<br />
for network printers. This option notifies<br />
users of this computer when a job is<br />
printed on a remote computer.<br />
District 2 lends a helping hand<br />
we felt a need to return the favor.”<br />
A m o n g<br />
other duties<br />
the team<br />
h e l p e d<br />
determine the<br />
extent of the<br />
damage and<br />
completed<br />
worksheets to<br />
acquire the<br />
necessary<br />
Virginia Parnell f e d e r a l<br />
PLEMO<br />
funding.<br />
This isn’t<br />
the first disaster for either<br />
volunteer, both have worked other<br />
disasters including the devastating<br />
hurricanes here in Florida last year.