By Jessica Wiens

Employees across the state are taking advantage of the sunny days to be active during their breaks and lunches. District 3 and Central Office hosted events in May to encourage even more folks to get active.

District 3/Baxter employees participated in Walk-the-Block Week May 14-18, where they received a stamp for each 15-minute walk completed. During the five-day period, 23 walkers took 31 walks and went 131.5 miles.

Some participants received prizes and everyone received breakfast bars and hard-boiled eggs. District 3’s Wellness Committee hosted the event.

Central Office employees took part in the 11th annual Commuter Challenge State Capitol Walk/Bike event and health fair May 16.

More than 375 employees from several state agencies walked 1,200 laps. Of the total, 165 of those walkers were from MnDOT and they logged 549.5 laps. A lap is approximately one mile. 

Minnesota Management and Budget had 66 employees who walked 244.5 laps. 

This is the first year the event included a bicycling component. About 50 people took part in a bicycle ride that demonstrated how easy and convenient it can be to ride to meetings at nearby state office buildings rather than drive. Commissioner Tom Sorel, Department of Health Commissioner Edward Elinger, and Explore Minnesota Tourism Director John Edman also took part in the event. 

Of the group, about 15 people used Nice Ride bicycles. The Nice Ride bike share system is expanding into St. Paul in June. One of the stations will be near the MnDOT Central Office building. About 150 people received Nice Ride bicycle helmets and coupons for $10 off a Nice Ride membership as part of the health fair.

Testimonials given on how national research programs benefit the department, state of Minnesota

Several employees gathered at Central Office on May 16 to see presentations from Transportation Research Board members and learn how they can get involved in transportation research. 

Research Services hosted the hour-long brown bag event, which provided participants with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the agency’s research partners and programs.

Richard Pain and Monica Stearns, TRB, presented information on the TRB and Strategic Highway Research Program, which addresses some of the most pressing needs related to the nation’s highway system, including safety, aging infrastructure and congestion.

Three MnDOT employees also provided testimonials—Ken Buckeye, Policy Analysis, Research and Innovation, Bill Gardner, Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations director, and Roger Olson, Materials, described their experiences with research programs. They are three names on a long list of MnDOT employees who have become nationally recognized experts in their field by directly participating in the TRB and SHRP2 programs.

The TRB is a division of the National Research Council, which consists of research-oriented committees, panels and task forces. Its communication focus has created a participating network of more than 7,000 engineers, scientists and other transportation researchers and practitioners across the United States.

SHRP2 is administered by the TRB and was approved by Congress to address some of the most pressing needs related to the nation’s highway system. Through project funding and research committees, the SHRP2 program oversees and participates in necessary research aimed to improve highway safety, renewal, reliability and capacity.

For more information on transportation research, and to stay current with TRB publications, visit http://ihub/research/TRB.html.

Lynn Eaton, former District 2 engineer, began his mobility assignment as MnDOT’s shared services manager May 22. 

In his new role, Eaton will work across divisions to plan and implement the department’s shared services. The initial focus will be to build upon work started in the Operations Division in the area of Program Delivery.

The department will be posting the District 2 engineer position to provide a six- to nine-month leadership rotation opportunity, mirroring what it did recently with district engineer positions in Districts 1, 3, and 4.

Eaton has worked for MnDOT more than 28 years. During his career, he has served as preliminary design engineer, soils engineer, project engineer, resident engineer, state project management engineer, road research manager, District 2 assistant district engineer for Operations and District 2 assistant district engineer for Program Delivery before becoming District 2 engineer in 2004.

Eaton graduated from the University of North Dakota where he received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He also holds a master’s degree in management from the University of Minnesota.

Eaton will continue to work from District 2/Bemidji and can be reached at 218-766-4722 or lynn.eaton@state.mn.us.

By Bob Filipczak

Both District 3 and District 4 took on new leadership May 23, as Jody Martinson moved from her mobility as District 3 engineer to a permanent position as District 4 engineer. Dan Anderson did the same, only vice versa—from District 4 to District 3.

Martinson has a lot of history in both districts as a graduate engineer, project engineer, Right of Way engineer, planner and program development manager. She began her MnDOT career in 1992 as an engineering intern in District 4.

“It is a great honor to be able to serve MnDOT and the citizens of Minnesota in this leadership role. I promise to be a strong advocate for District 4 and our employees,” Martinson said. “Being on mobility as the district engineer for District 3 was such a great experience and I encourage employees to take advantage of those types of opportunities. I look forward to building and expanding relationships with our employees, transportation partners and communities.”

Martinson graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

She can be reached at jody.martinson@state.mn.us or 218-846-3603.

Dan Anderson has worked in the Metro District, Central Office and District 3 during his 27-year career. He started as a graduate engineer, rotating through a variety of areas including hydraulic design, traffic engineering and construction. Anderson also served as a project engineer and resident engineer in Oakdale before moving to the area maintenance engineer position in District 3/St. Cloud in 1997.

Anderson graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.  

Marvin Carlson, District 1/Duluth Construction, is now eligible for the state vacation donation program, which allows employees to donate up to 40 hours of vacation per fiscal year for approved recipients who have exhausted their sick and vacation leave due to illness.

Carlson, a MnDOT employee for more than 26 years, was diagnosed with a life threatening medical condition and is unable to work.

To donate vacation hours, go to the Employee Self Service Web site and click “Other Payroll” and then “Leave Donations.” The site also allows employees to view a list of all state employees eligible for the program and enroll as a recipient.

Related information:

Road to recovery: Vacation donation program eases the pain (Newsline, Nov. 10, 2010)—Read a viewpoint from one MnDOT recipient.

Employees are invited to attend the latest Commissioner’s Reading Corner discussion Tuesday, June 19, at 1:30 p.m., in the MnDOT Library at Central Office.

Jon Huseby, District 8 engineer, will lead a discussion of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen R. Covey.

Employees also can participate virtually via Adobe Connect and should log in as a guest no earlier than 1:15 p.m. All employees are encouraged to attend, even if they have not yet read the book, according to Qin Tang, MnDOT librarian.

This will be the sixth CRC event of the 2012 season.

For more information on the Commissioner’s Reading Corner, visit ihub/readingcorner. Employees with questions can contact Qin Tang at 651-366-3784.

An interview featuring Huseby’s reaction to Covey's book will be available soon at ihub.dot.state.mn.us/readingcorner/interviews.html.

Peter Buchen has been named assistant state traffic engineer in the Office of Traffic, Safety and Technology. Buchen had been filling the position on a mobility assignment for the past year.

Buchen has worked at MnDOT since 1988 in various offices and positions, including pre-design, design and traffic in District 6 and District 8. Most recently, he served as Airport Development Section manager in the Office of Aeronautics.

Buchen graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He also holds a master’s degree in infrastructure systems engineering from the University of Minnesota.

By Qin Tang

The April 2012 edition of New Library Materials is now available at www.dot.state.mn.us/library/newlibmat.html.

The edition features information about the recent release of a new digital collection—Minnesota Highways, the department’s employee newsletter from November 1951 – October 1976. In that timeframe, the department published nearly 300 issues of Minnesota Highways.

Archived editions of New Library Materials are available at www.dot.state.mn.us/library/recacq-archive.html.

New Library Materials is a compilation of new titles and other resources added to the library collection during the previous month. If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please contact Pam Gonzalez at 651-366-3749.

For other information requests, contact the library at 651-366-3791 or email library.dot@state.mn.us. Employees also can send requests via the “Ask a Librarian” webpage at www.dot.state.mn.us/library/asklibrarian.html.