By Jeanne Aamodt

President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion economic stimulus package into law on Feb. 17, providing the state of Minnesota with more than $9 billion in tax cuts and new federal aid over the next two years, according to early media reports.

Minnesota officials expect state government to get nearly half that sum, an estimated $4.3 billion. Some of the funds may be used to reduce the current state budget deficit.

In addition, Minnesota will receive more than $596 million for transportation over the next two years. The bulk of the money will go for roads and bridges, with half of the funds targeted at projects that must start within 120 days.

“The Economic Recovery Act clearly is first and foremost about providing jobs,” said Commissioner Tom Sorel. “Mn/DOT is committed to fully using these funds to create jobs and make lasting improvements in the state’s transportation infrastructure.”

Key provisions of the package include:

• An estimated $502 million to Minnesota, with 67 percent state discretionary spending, 30 percent through Surface Transportation Program population formula and 3 percent for transportation enhancement projects. Half of that money is targeted at ready-to-go projects that must start within 120 days.

• A spending approach based on historic state/local shares of federal funds, with 67 percent for state transportation projects, 30 percent for local transportation projects and 3 percent for enhancement projects.

• Stimulus spending for transit in Minnesota is estimated at $94 million, with $73 million for the Twin Cities metro area, $19 million for Greater Minnesota and $1.8 million for fixed guideway infrastructure investment (e.g., light rail transit, bus rapid transit).

• Discretional grants totaling $8 billion to states for high-speed rail corridor, intercity passenger rail service and congestion mitigation projects.

• Discretional grants totaling $1.3 billion to airports and supplemental funding for Federal Aviation Administration facilities and equipment.

• Discretionary capital grants and capital security grants for Amtrak totaling $1.3 billion.

• The establishment of a National Discretionary Fund of $1.5 billion for transportation projects of regional or national significance, with no more than 20 percent distributed to a single state. (Minnesota’s maximum would be $300 million, with all modes qualifying.)

More information, including lists of potential highway, transit, rail and airport projects, is available on the Web at www.mndot.gov.

By Kay Korsgaard

Carl Dagen, project engineer, Virginia office, died unexpectedly Feb. 8. He was 44.

Dagen, a member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, joined Mn/DOT as a student worker in the Seeds program in 1995. After graduation he continued with Mn/DOT as a graduate engineer in District 3.

In 2002, Dagen left Mn/DOT to serve as commissioner of public works for the Bois Forte Vermilion Reservation and returned to Mn/DOT in 2007 as a project manager working out of the Virginia office.

Dagen’s survivors include his wife, Kelly; daughters, Austyn and Lauren; mother, Mary Strong; father, Larry Dagen, and many relatives and friends.

“It’s hard to accept this news of Carl passing to the spirit world,” said Dave Danz, member of Advocacy Council for Tribal Transportation and Dagen’s long-time friend.

“Many call Carl a ‘neej,’ friend,” he said. “Ga wah bah min mee na wah, neej—I will see you again my friend.”

“Carl was known for many things—his meticulous planning, quality engineering, attention to detail,” said Mike Robinson, District 1 District Engineer.

“Most importantly, however, is the role model he was to us as a loving and dedicated family man and friend to many,” he said. “Carl was committed to playing a very tangible role in his daughters’ lives. He was always available to help others who needed it, and we will always cherish his smile. His smile shows in every picture we have of Carl and it is something everyone comments about. It was just so genuine, all the time. Without Carl, there is an emptiness in the soul of District 1. 

“We lost a true friend, far too early in his young life,” Robinson said.

“Carl was involved in several of the first Tribes & Transportation Conferences, providing a very important perspective of the Tribal Roads programs,” said Linda Aitken, Mn/DOT Tribal Liaison. “Carl was always one of my ‘go to’ people to ask for participation or input on tribal transportation. Most of all, he was a friend.”

Andy Johnson, district 1 project engineer said about Dagen, “It is said that true friendship is true service. That’s who Carl was and that’s what he did. He was great to be around and great to work with. Everyday he was upbeat and hard at it. His standards for quality were second to none. He really enjoyed new challenges and learning new things. He always took time for people and was willing to go the extra mile for anyone.”

Funeral services were held Friday, Feb. 13, in Virginia. Personal remembrances for Dagen’s family may be left at www.baumanfuneralhome.com.

Preliminary work for removing the exterior granite panels from the Transportation Building in St. Paul began this week, with full-scale operations set to begin later in March, according to Ed Clarke, Business Support Services director.

The effort, which includes erecting a work platform on the south end of the building by the stair tower, is expected to affect parking in Lot G.

“Current plans call for as many as 16 parking spaces being eliminated for the duration of the project,” Clarke said, noting that the work also will affect visitor parking in Lot G.

“I am working with the Department of Administration and our people to identify alternative visitor parking locations,” he said.

The contractor also will be installing site fencing and an office trailer at the north end of the building during this time.

The building work is required because moisture caused the panels’ steel supports to rust. The project includes removing the panels, replacing the steel supports and doing other maintenance work.

Project completion is expected by May 2010.

For more information, contact Clarke at 651-366-3114.

Enhancements to Mn/DOT’s internal and external Web sites are ongoing, with some of the most recent changes helping employees find Mn/DOT phone numbers, health and wellness events and GIS spatial data. If you know of something on Mn/DOT’s site that you think Newsline should feature, send us a note at newsline@dot.state.mn.us.

Online phone book puts updated employee information at your fingertips

A new online employee phone book is now available on iHUB.

“The online book uses information directly from SEMA 4, Mn/DOT’s employee database updated by Human Resources, so it should always be up-to-date,” said Sandy Netland, reports developer for the Office of Information and Technology Services.

Users can search for individual employees and can also request a listing of all employees in an office.

The search feature also allows users to search for partial names. For example, entering the string “maker” would find Rick Fenstermaker in the Office of Technical Support.

The phone book listing provides name, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, mail stop and address information.

In the future, the office listings may also include organizational structure for each office, said Netland.

Check out the new directory at http://webreports/telecomm/. If you see errors in your information you should contact your human resources representative. Employees in the Central Office can find their HR representatives at http://ihub.employee/contacts_by_office.html.

~ Kay Korsgaard

Web site informs employees of ways to stay healthy at work

A variety of health events and opportunities are offered at Mn/DOT statewide that can help employees maintain and improve their health while they are at work.

“The Health and Wellness Web site on iHUB gives Mn/DOT employees a chance to know what these opportunities are whenever they want to access them,” said Lynn Frank, Health and Wellness committee member.

Information about Yoga at Noon, Tai Chi, Brown Bag seminars and “The Biggest Loser” events and classes at Central Office are available on the Web site.

Membership application and related information about Central Office’s fitness center is available as well.

Information on health and wellness activities in the districts can be obtained by going to the Health and Wellness Web site or by contacting Frank at 651-366-4170 or lynn.frank@dot.state.mn.us.

~ Lisa Yang

Searching for something? Improved A to Z has arrived

Mn/DOT’s Web site now has an improved way to find your favorite topics. The A to Z listings on iHUB and Mn/DOT’s external Web site have been redesigned, allowing users to easily locate a wide array of topics.

The biggest change is in the internal version of A to Z. All of the information on the previous site is there, but now the updated iHUB A to Z has been combined with the employee services A to Z, making it a one-stop shop for all types of resources.  

The external A to Z has a new look as well, and behind the scenes features will make it easier to keep the two A to Z listings in sync and up-to-date.

A to Z is a work in progress. If you find missing or incorrect information, topics and edits can be submitted via the form listed on the side of every page. Comments can also be submitted to Webteam at webteam@dot.state.mn.us.

~ Della Ljungkull

GIS Portal offers doorway to spatial information

Mn/DOT employees have a new tool available on the Web to search for spatial information.

Spatial information includes Web mapping services and metadata for transportation data (e.g., cadastral, geodetic control, hydrographic), imagery, static maps and applications.

The new tool, made available by the Enterprise GIS Services Unit in the Office of Information and Technology Services, provides users a focal point for finding out what spatial information is available in and around the Minnesota area.    

The GIS Portal is a catalog and map viewer for spatial information. You can use either a text or map-based search to query for information. The data may be local or statewide in nature. Metadata about the information identifies area of geographic coverage, data steward, update frequency and other important information for each data set.

For example, users could search for “highways” and find information such as major roads, reference posts, average annual daily traffic and final right of way maps. Users will find direct links for the information and have the ability to view and save map and text based queries. Users can use the GIS Portal to search for available data from Mn/DOT and other agencies and states.

“The new GIS Portal meets one of the EGIS Units strategic objectives to make data from multiple business areas, organizations and agencies available in a single location,” according to Dan Ross, EGIS Unit supervisor.

The initial release of the GIS Portal includes some of the more frequently used spatial data. Additional information will be published as it becomes available. Stewards of data from anywhere within Mn/DOT also can submit their spatial information for publishing.

For questions or additional information, contact Ross at 651-366-4077 or Dan.Ross@dot.state.mn.us. The application can be found at http://gisportal/Portal/.  

~ Sue Bousquet, Office of Information and Technology Services