By Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher

A lot has changed in a very short time.

The spread of COVID-19 has impacted all of us, both at work and at home. Just a few short weeks ago, many of us had probably never used the phrases “social distancing” or “flatten the curve.” We don’t normally find empty shelves at the grocery store. We don’t normally have to think about what song to sing as we wash our hands for what feels like the millionth time today.

And we don’t normally have to figure out how to work together at a distance, or in the same room but further apart.

MnDOT has adapted to this new normal in several ways. We’ve been encouraging employees to telework or conduct meetings virtually if possible. Disinfection protocols have been enhanced at facilities statewide in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And we’re working with all staff to be as flexible as possible to those affected by the closure of schools and other establishments across the state.

It’s not only about what’s happening at the state or institutional level, though. Please remember to take care of yourself. Your physical and mental health - and the well-being of your loved ones - is the absolute top priority. If you need it, remember that all state employees have 24/7 access to the Employee Assistance Program for expert, personal and confidential counseling.

This is a quickly evolving situation, and we anticipate that policies and procedures will continue to change. Thank you very much for your flexibility, patience and understanding as we all try to navigate this unprecedented time.

All employees are encouraged to check mn.gov/bereadymn and the MDH Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website often for the latest updates. We have also put these and several other helpful links up on iHub as a “one-stop shop” for information, though we recognize you may still have questions that have yet to be answered. More information on the state's new paid COVID-19 leave policy can be found here.

Remember, we are one MnDOT family. I am so honored by the opportunity to work with you all, and grateful for the many ways I’ve seen our family pull together recently to help each other get through this challenging time.

Thank you for all you do, and be well.

Margaret

By Joseph Palmersheim

More than 1,200 people attended Minnesota's Transportation Conference March 3-4 at the River Center in St. Paul. About a quarter of the participants were MnDOT employees, with other attendees coming from both the public and private sectors.

Brad Hamilton, MnDOT Liaison Services, served as MnDOT’s key contact for the event, said the annual conference is the only event in the state where all transportation industry partners are under one roof.

“It is a unique opportunity for MnDOT staff to learn from and network with a diverse group of transportation professionals, as well as expand knowledge on a broad range of innovative topics,” he said. “It is also a chance to connect and build relationships with people. I heard many comments and positive feedback about the variety of interesting sessions available.”

The event featured four general sessions, along with 42 concurrent sessions covering topics like equity, engagement, safety, funding, multi-modal transportation and innovation.

Next year’s conference will meet in St. Cloud March 9-10, 2021.

By Anne Meyer

New library materials are now available. In addition to the list of newly cataloged materials by subject, this issue features a timely topic about TRB’s online summary titled “Transportation in the Face of Communicable Disease.”

New Library Materials is a compilation of new titles and other resources added to the library collection during the previous month. Email MnDOT Library to be added to the distribution list, or send requests via the Ask a Librarian webpage.