JEFFERSON CITY – Each year, MoDOT hosts its Innovations Showcase, where employees share innovative projects that help improve the safety of workers on the road, or efficiencies to work tasks, creating value to internal and external customers.
At this year’s event, staff members from two dozen other state DOTs came to observe the innovations and take ideas back to their states.
More than 50 MoDOT teams demonstrated their projects on the show floor. Sixteen of those projects were awarded in the categories of Productivity, Projects and Tools & Equipment, as well as special projects recognized with the director’s awards for Safety, Service and Stability.
“The Innovations Challenge is MoDOT’s greatest brainstorming session of the year, and this is the event where the creativity, insight and brilliance of our employees are given the spotlights they deserve.” Missouri Highway Transportation Commission Chairman Terry Ecker
Many of these projects have the potential to improve the safety of our employees and travelers, create efficiencies, improve MoDOT’s customer service and save taxpayer dollars.
• One of these projects is the Safety Observer program from the Kansas City district. The district created a team of safety experts from across MoDOT to observe the execution of safety practices to assist with creating new and better safety training for maintenance operations. This innovation was created in remembrance of MoDOT Maintenance Supervisor Lloyd Crawford, who was killed in 2021 while setting up flood signs.
• Another valuable innovation is the Lane Shark, submitted by the Southeast District. This device attaches to a tractor and can be adjusted to different heights and angles. It allows for safer and faster mowing and trimming operations with less strain on employees from heavy manual equipment while navigating on foot through the brush.
• Another key innovation was the research into asphalt performance tests to find the best mix of materials for better quality and longer lasting asphalt on Missouri roads.
The full list of projects and the award winners – complete with video descriptions – can be found on the Innovations Showcase website.
The awards ceremony as well as a video of the show floor demonstrations can be viewed in their entirety on MoDOT’s YouTube page.