MoDOT Issues Annual Report to Legislature

JEFFERSON CITY – You’re getting smoother, safer roads sooner thanks to additional funding from the passage of Amendment 3. That’s the message Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn sent to lawmakers in the agency’s annual report delivered today. 

“The past year has been incredible for MoDOT and transportation in Missouri, and we’re happy to have a lot of positive news to report,” said Rahn.  “Thanks in large part to the passage of Amendment 3 last November, we were able to get started giving Missourians what they want – smooth, safe roads sooner.”
 

State law requires MoDOT to submit the report to the governor, lieutenant governor and legislators before Nov. 10 of each year.  The document outlines where MoDOT’s money comes from and where it’s spent.  It also lists completed and future projects and costs.

Some MoDOT highlights from the past year include:

• Implementing the Smoother, Safer, Sooner initiative that will deliver 2,200 miles of smooth road by December 2007, speed existing work and build new, major projects with revenue from Amendment 3.
  
  
• Working with Missouri’s Congressional delegation on the federal transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU, which means additional funding for critical highway and transit needs.
  
  
• Approving the largest construction program in Missouri’s history over the next five years – 866 projects totaling $7.3 billion.
  
  
• Providing an informative, easy-to-understand work zone map that motorists can access at www.modot.gov to find out where work is in progress throughout the state.
  
  

• Implementing a new, more visible pavement marking system that will make Missouri roads safer.
  
  

• Adopting a practical approach to designing projects that will save nearly $400 million over the next five years.
  
  

• Starting a new initiative to develop a statewide, long-range transportation plan.
  
  

• Establishing a results-based performance management system to monitor progress and show the agency is accountable.
  
  

• In addition, an independent audit of the department’s financial statements gave MoDOT the highest rating possible for the sixth straight year.
  

  
  For a copy of the complete report, please visit the department’s Accountability Report Web site.
  To hear sound bites of Pete Rahn discussing the report go to MoDOT's online Newsroom.