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May 27, 2011Editor's Note: Monday, May 30 is Memorial Day, so you are receiving the TxDOT Update early. TxDOT wishes you a Happy Memorial Day and reminds you to drive safely this holiday weekend. Here's our roundup of Texas Department of Transportation news and events. If you have any questions, comments or just want to know more about something you read here, send a message to AskTxDOT@txdot.gov. Prepared for Hurricane Season
TxDOT is ready for hurricane season, which starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a serious, above average season this year. NOAA's forecast for 2011 predicts 12 to 18 named storms with winds of 39 mph or greater, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher. Working closely with federal, state and local emergency officials, TxDOT is prepared to quickly respond in the event of storms and flooding. In the OneDOT spirit, statewide crews will be mobilized to help Texans flee from harm's way and return home safely. We'll use Twitter and Facebook to alert and update residents about road conditions, including contraflow and evacuation routes on state highways. We urge residents, particularly those along the Texas Gulf Coast, to pay close attention to weather forecasts during hurricane season. Being prepared is everyone's responsibility. The time to be prepared and make evacuation plans is now. Watch this NOAA video on hurricane preparedness » Consulting Firm to Help With ModernizationKaeppel Consulting, LLC, a San Antonio-based company, has been selected to assist with TxDOT's modernization effort. Kaeppel will begin June 1, working closely with the agency's Modernization Leadership Team to develop a detailed implementation plan and assist with developing ways to monitor and measure the effectiveness of improvements. The firm was selected for its experience in change management principles and hands-on experience in helping large companies with similar reorganization efforts, including General Electric, USAA and Mutual of Omaha. Kaeppel also assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety with its recent reorganization effort. Transportation Commission ActionsThe Texas Transportation Commission convened May 26 for its monthly meeting and took the following actions:
The Commission's next regular meeting is set for 9 a.m., Thursday, June 30 at the Texas State Capitol Extension Auditorium, E1.004, while the Greer Building, TxDOT's Austin headquarters, undergoes renovation. The Commission will not hold a workshop session in June. Design a Litterbag Contest
TxDOT is soliciting original artwork for our "Don't Mess with Texas" (DMWT) litterbag as part of the litter prevention program's 25th anniversary. Submissions for the "Design a Litterbag Contest" are due by June 16. "This is the chance to show your Texas pride and visually convey that trash has no place on Texas roads," said Brenda Flores-Dollar, DMWT program administrator in TxDOT's Travel Information Division. The competition is open to anyone who wants to help keep our roadways litter free. The winning design will be featured on 200,000 limited-edition 25th anniversary litterbags. In the past, litterbags have featured such designs as a monster truck, a tattoo and a boot. Statewide PodcastsTxDOT produces a weekly Statewide Podcast to keep you updated on the latest transportation news and issues, and new podcast episodes are published every Friday on the TxDOT website, www.txdot.gov. In this week's episode, we talk with Dr. Chandra Bhat, a professor of transportation engineering at the University of Texas, about his research findings that driving a pickup puts teens at far higher risk of injury than driving a car. Episodes are also available on iTunes. |
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