By Doris Degenstein, District 7

After two years of construction, the final segment of Hwy. 14 from New Ulm to Nicollet opened to traffic on Nov. 21, just in time for motorists traveling for Thanksgiving. Federal, state and local dignitaries gathered on the new eastbound bridge in Courtland for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 12.5-mile project converted the two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway and completed a continuous four-lane highway between New Ulm and Rochester. New interchanges were constructed at New Ulm and Courtland. Crews also constructed safer intersections, added turn lanes, and installed more 22,000 feet of snow fence. The project cost $83.5 million and was funded through local, state and federal funds.

The goals for expanding Hwy 14 from a two-lane highway to a four-lane included improving safety and travel on a notoriously dangerous road, and also strengthening the rural economy by connecting small communities with larger cities in this crucial farm-to-market network and interregional freight and travel corridor.

Support and advocacy to complete the final stretch of Hwy 14 was strong. Partners included current and former elected officials, the Highway 14 Partnership and area communities.

“Today is a day for celebration, remembrance and closure,” District Engineer Greg Ous said during the ribbon-cutting event. “Celebration because it has been a goal for decades to finish Hwy 14 from Rochester to New Ulm. Remembrance for those that lost their lives on Hwy 14 and the impacts to their family and friends. Closure for the MnDOT staff and many others who worked tirelessly to deliver and construct this project.”

For more information, visit the project page on the MnDOT website.

By Rich Kemp

Gov. Tim Walz and Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger announced that MnDOT has become a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization at a ceremony at the state capitol on Dec. 7. It marks a commitment to supporting, recognizing and meeting the needs of service members, veterans and military families.

The 34th Infantry Division Band performed and Gov. Walz, Commissioner Daubenberger and T.J. Melcher, District 2 Communication and Engagement and a Major in the Minnesota National Guard spoke during the ceremony. There were many MnDOT Veterans on hand to help during the ceremony.

Metro District lost a great friend when Central Services employee Maureen Widmer died on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the age of 57.

Widmer worked at MnDOT for more than 26 years, following her mother Arlene into a career in state service. Maureen started at the Oakdale location and in 1999, came to Water’s Edge where she consistently went above and beyond for everyone with whom she came in contact. She was looking forward to her retirement on Dec. 5, and to spending more time with her son and infant granddaughter.

“Maureen always had a kind word and an infectious smile,” said Sheila Kauppi, Metro’s acting district engineer. “She was always willing to help.”

When she wasn’t making friends at work while delivering packages and mail at locations throughout the district, Maureen was spending time with her loved ones watching old sitcoms or the Minnesota Twins, making great crockpot dinners or earning a trophy for her bowling skills. She was a champion at Metro too, because of her kindness.

Widmer is survived by her son, Keith (Alicia) Widmer; granddaughter, Blakely Widmer; partner and friend, Rick Jorgensen; father, Kenneth Widmer; sisters, Colleen (Mike) Widmer, Caroline (Chad) Reshestar, and Elizabeth (Kyle) Widmer; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Cindy Gross has been named the director of Human Resources at MnDOT, effective Dec. 6. Gross has been with MnDOT for approximately eleven years. She has most recently been focused on workforce planning with Human Resources and previously served as a division business manager for seven years; she has also held Human Resources leadership roles within MnDOT, both at Central Office and in districts.

Prior to joining MnDOT, Gross worked for thirteen years in human resources leadership roles in the private sector. She has a bachelor’s degree in organizational behavior from the College of St. Scholastica and is close to receiving her master’s in leadership and management from Concordia University.

The latest issue of New Library Materials is available.  This month’s collection close-up book is Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, by Ben Goldfarb.

New Library Materials is a compilation of resources added to the library collection during the previous month. Visit the Stay Current page and click New Library Materials to sign up. Questions and feedback are welcome at Ask a Librarian.

By Doug Mack

Some positions at MnDOT have been around for decades, but Daniel Saunders serves in one of the agency’s newest roles.

How long have you been at MnDOT?
I started working at MnDOT in February 2023. I have been working out of the Fort Snelling Office with the Office of Environmental Stewardship, in the Environmental Monitoring and Testing Unit.

Your position is a relatively new one. Can you tell us more about the need it fills and how/why it was established?
Yes, it’s new as of the day I started. The Greenhouse Gas Specialist position was created due to the need to centralize, organize and aid document writers when undergoing a greenhouse gas emissions analysis. MnDOT began requiring greenhouse gas analyses on all construction projects over a million dollars that our greenhouse gas tool can calculate as of Jan. 8, 2020.

Some projects our calculator (the Minnesota Infrastructure Carbon Estimator, also called MICE) cannot cover include noise walls and road barriers, though some of those may be covered in the new version of the tool that will come out in about a year. MICE calculates construction project emissions in Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent for the construction and maintenance of the project area, and when appropriate, the vehicle operations emissions for the lifetime of the project, which is generally 20 years.

What are your day-to-day tasks? Do they change throughout the year?
My day job consists of aiding any document writers, either from the state or a consultant, on how to use the MICE tool correctly. I also spend much of my day looking at the new construction projects that are being submitted and putting them in a centralized location. I also keep up to date on how other Department of Transportations are calculating and documenting greenhouse gases, as it is an extremely new and growing portion of DOTs’ work.

How does your job fit into the broader work of MnDOT?
My position fits into the broader MnDOT purpose of ensuring the NEPA and State of Minnesota project documentation process is done correctly, and making sure any information given to the public is verifiable and able to be replicated.

What the most challenging and rewarding parts of your job?
Both the most challenging and rewarding parts of the job are that this is such a new and ever-changing topic in the field of transportation. MnDOT is well ahead of the curve in terms of documenting project-level greenhouse gases, so it is common for other state DOTs to reach out to us to ask about how we have set up our greenhouse gas analysis process.

Is there anything about your job that might surprise other people (either inside or outside MnDOT)?
As far as I could tell, as of last fall, I am only the third DOT employee in all of the United States with the job title of “Greenhouse Gas Specialist.”

What are your interests or hobbies outside your work with MnDOT? 
I am an avid fan of all Minnesota sports teams, and am therefore well-trained at expecting the worst of all sporting outcomes. I also often rock climb, go to the many theaters in the Twin Cities with my girlfriend, am a parent to two small dogs (a Shorki and a Pug) and spend time with my family, as I am the youngest of 9 with 14 nieces and nephews.

Do you or a co-worker have an interesting job to share with readers? Send us your ideas, and we’ll contact you for more information.

Recent employee profiles:

• Dave Malchow looks under the surface
• Bryan Nagorka puts technology to good use
• Nathan Johnson uses fire to keep roadways safe
  

By Doug Mack

It’s the most pun-derful time of the year, as MnDOT’s popular Name a Snowplow contest returns for the fourth year.
 
As always, the competition seeks public nominations to help name eight of the agency’s snowplows, one for each district around the state. MnDOT employees are welcome and encouraged to enter their own suggestions.

The agency currently has named 24 snowplows through the contest, including Betty Whiteout, Plowy McPlowFace, Blader Tot Hotdish, Han Snowlo and The Truck Formerly Known As Plow. three plows have been named through employee efforts: Giiwedin, the Ojibwe word for the North Wind (District 1); Goonodaabaan, the Ojibwe word for “snow vehicle” (District 1); and Ičamna, the Dakota word for “blizzard” (District 8).

MnDOT encourages people to submit their most witty, unique and Minnesota- or winter-themed snowplow name ideas on the agency’s website. Submissions will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 15 at noon.

This year’s contest includes a few basic rules:

• Each person may only submit one name.
• Submissions are limited to no more than 30 characters (including letters and spaces).
• Any submissions that include profanity or other inappropriate language will not be considered.
• Politically inspired names (including phrases, slogans or plays on politicians’ names) will not be considered. Naming snowplows is meant to be fun and lighthearted, so we’re going to keep this contest nonpartisan and nonpolitical.
• Past winners will also will not be considered. You can find a full list of past winners on our Name a Snowplow website.

MnDOT staff will review all the submissions, select some of the best ideas and invite the public to vote on their favorites in January 2024. The eight names that get the most votes will then make their way onto a snowplow in each district.

By J.P. Gillach

MnDOT was honored with the 2023 National Roadway Safety Award Program Planning, Development and Evaluation, for the agency’s innovative work and success of its J-turns program. The award was presented Nov. 29 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. and is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and the nonprofit Roadway Safety Foundation.

MnDOT has built nearly 100 J-turn intersections at high-speed four-lane divided highways since 2010. A 2021 evaluation found J-turns reduced fatal and serious injury crashes by 69 percent.

“We had a very competitive applicant pool this year, and our blue-ribbon panel of judges determined that this project was among the strongest for safety effectiveness, innovation/transformation, and cost-effectiveness/economic strength,” the Roadway Safety Foundation stated in its award letter.

“The problem-solving creativity and dedication shown by the Minnesota Department of Transportation will save countless lives – using a data driven approach and practices that are proven to reduce crashes,” said FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “It demonstrates a strong commitment to moving Minnesota toward zero deaths and serious injuries on the state’s roadways, and we are proud to applaud their efforts.”

Learn more about J-turns, why they work and how to navigate them.

By Doug Mack

Can you name the place pictured below? The ground-level photo is from Google and the satellite image is from the 511 website and app. Note that we’re looking for a specific location in this case (not just a highway or town).

If you think you know the answer, email Newsline editor Doug Mack. The first three people to submit the correct answer will receive the fame and glory of having their names listed in the next issue of Newsline.

Answer to the last Puzzler: Basshenge Sculptures on Hwy 11. The first people to get it right were Christopher Carver (Metro), Calin Nelson (Bridge Office) and Ryan Soiney (District 2). Congrats to them and thanks to everyone who played!

Special thanks to Thomas Prew (Central Office), who suggested this location. If you know a place that would make a good Puzzler, please get in touch!

By TJ Melcher, District 2 Communication and Engagement and Major in the Minnesota National Guard

This piece is adapted from remarks given at the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon ceremony on Dec. 7.

I am both an employee of MnDOT and an actively serving member of the Minnesota National Guard. It’s not very often that these two worlds come together. Usually it’s a pretty challenging split, straddling these two worlds. Often their requirements are at odds with each other, with both sides demanding my time and energy.

As I spoke at the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon ceremony, I looked across the stage and the audience and could see my bosses from both of these worlds. That made me proud—proud for them to meet each other.

I know from personal experience that Gen. Sharkey from the National Guard is genuine in his kind appreciation for soldiers and the pressures they face with their families and civilian employers. My bosses at MnDOT, District Engineers JT Anderson and Jon Huseby, are genuine in their thoughtful support of their employees and our military obligations. They probably don’t even realize how important it is, because to them it’s just normal. If you asked them, I’m sure they would say they aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. But they’re wrong—it definitely is extraordinary.

Commissioner Daubenberger spoke about the culture of MnDOT and its support for employees serving in the military, and I can tell, you as a regular employee, she’s absolutely right. There is extraordinary support. As a state agency, it can be a challenge to stand out among your peers. There are many benefits that MnDOT provides to military service members and their families. The agency has a written policy, but the supportive culture is even more important—without that, a policy is meaningless.

MnDOT is not just some faceless bureaucracy. It’s made up of people who care—people who demonstrate that they care. That’s what sets the agency apart from other businesses and organizations, and that’s what makes it a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon employer.

I’ve talked to many military serving members at our agency, and each of them say something similar: our leaders at MnDOT never make them feel like our military service obligations were a liability for them or the agency. I echo those sentiments. Let me just give you a few examples.

In 2014, I was gone for a year, deployed to Iraq. A short time later, I needed to be gone for another month, for rotation at the National Training Center. This meant yet another empty seat in my office.

In 2019-20, in a one-year period, I was gone for more than three months. This included:

• A three-week training exercise at Ft. Cavazos, TX
• Three weeks training with an overseas partner nation
• Another month-long rotation at the National Training Center in Ft. Irwin, CA
• COVID-19
• Called to State Active Duty in response to civil unrest with Operation Safety Net (related to protests and trial)

And now, in just a couple of months, I’ll deploy again…and be gone for another year.

These aren’t just stories about me—these are the experiences of today’s citizen soldier. They’re also stories about how leaders at the agency were supportive of others. They also show how they have been supportive of my family while I’m away, and how the other employees of our district helped take care of my family while I was away on deployment. They ensured my children had a Christmas they could enjoy, even thought their dad wasn’t there.

MnDOT is an industry leader in its support and recruitment of military service members and veterans. When I was hired, my military service was something that was seen as a value, not a burden. It was something that helped me stand out among my peers. And it’s why I’m part of MnDOT today.

I’m proud of the value that MnDOT has for the military community, and I think what makes MnDOT so special is not just the management—it’s the employees themselves and the support they offer to each other. People helping people, not because it generates good publicity, but because it’s the right thing to do.