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The Highway Scanner

COVER TOP PHOTO: In the wake of January’s big winter storm, Shane McCray of the Verona Bridge Crew uses a motor grader to clear the shoulders along Route 285 in Augusta County. COVER BOTTOM PHOTO: Mechanics through-out the district, including James Hemp of the Staunton Shop, worked tirelessly to keep equipment on the road during and after the January snow.

BEHIND THE PLOWS An Inside Look at VDOT’s Snow Response

In the days leading up to the January 22-23 winter storm, television screens and social media sites were filled with doomsday nicknames such as Snowzilla, Snowmageddon and Snowpocalypse.

But during a strategy session three days before the first flakes fell, Lindsay Walker was far more pragmatic about the approaching snow. “This is not our first rodeo,” said Walker, the VDOT Staunton District’s Assistant District Administrator for Maintenance. “Our people have a lot of experience with these storms, so we just plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

Planning began nearly a week in advance, when weather watchers warned of a sizeable storm. Walker meets with Infrastructure Manager Stacy Sager and Performance Reporting Manager Mike Mitchell to coordinate the district’s response, but most of the work happens away from Staunton. “The residencies plan and coordinate snow-removal services,” Sager explains. “We’re basically facilitators here at the district. We’re a second set of eyes and ears, and we serve as liaison between Central Office and the field folks.”

Before and during winter storms, each district joins a daily statewide conference call to discuss forecast details and their plans of attack. They offer updates on

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A newsletter for and about the people of VDOT’s Staunton District — Alleghany, Bath, Rockbridge, Augusta, Highland, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren and Clarke counties

MARCH 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE

• Behind the Plows

• Special Thanks from the Kids!

• Praise for the Plows

• District Complex Safety Meeting

• Leadership in Transportation

• Go Green–Bob Pettit Guest Column

• Wing Plow Training

• Building Project Update

• MLK Day of Service

• Sam Leckrone Honor

• Personnel Notes / Service Awards

• Learning Center Classes

• Dates to Remember

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continued...

MARCH 2016

materials supplies and equipment needs, share safety messages and get direction and encouragement from the VDOT Commissioner or Secretary of Transportation. At the district level, similar briefings give the snow-removal teams a chance to reinforce safety messages, talk about their specific plans and raise any concerns.

Roughly 500 Staunton District employees are consistently involved in snow operations, and their response is based on the forecast. A Level 1 response requires mostly VDOT equipment and personnel, Sager explains, while a Level 5 needs “everything we can get our hands on.” Storms at the higher end of the scale prompt calls to contractors and hired equipment operators, and may trigger the district’s All Hands on Deck procedure (see sidebar). This particular storm required the emergency procurement of all available trucks and operators, plus coordination with utility companies and emergency communication centers in localities throughout the district.

All told, the 11-county district mobilized nearly 1,200 pieces of equipment including motor graders, front-end loaders and heavy-duty snow blowers. Safety Service Patrols got help from eight incident-response teams, and wreckers were pre-staged at 18 interstate exits to make sure traffic could keep mov-ing. About 40 VDOT and contract mechanics worked around the clock at four equipment shops and even in the field, doing all they can to keep trucks on the road.

This particular storm was predicted to bring up to three feet of snow, falling at a rate of two to three inches per hour at times. That forced the district to focus its efforts on the interstates and key primary roads. “Let’s hit it early, hit it fast and hit it hard,” Walker told crews during a confer-ence call on January 20. “It’s going to betough to find places for all that snow, so plow as wide as possible – grass to grass, guardrail to guardrail.”

The Staunton District also coordinated with law enforcement to close trouble-prone interchanges along I-81. This unusual step prevented a repeat of February 2015, when several truck stops filled up with tractor trailers weathering the winter storm. “Next thing you know, traffic’s

About 24-hours before the storm, Staunton District leaders share snow-removal strategy during a conference call with other VDOT districts and Central Office.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

We’re All Part of the Winter Storm Team

Preparing for a major winter storm actually begins in

late summer, when residencies and district shops go

through “dry run” inspections and Mitchell reviews

All Hands on Deck procedures. “All employees in

the district have a job assignment,” he says. “They

may not push snow, but they’ll help in some way.”

Here are some examples of how our diverse group of

employees becomes a snow-fighting team:

Jonathan Brown, geotechnical engineer in the

Materials section, was part of the incident manage-

ment crew on I-81. He helped patrol a 30-mile stretch

of the interstate for any disabled vehicles causing a

traffic hazard. “I only had to deal with vehicles in the

travel lanes twice. The second incident occurred when

a tractor trailer was partially blocking the entrance to

the rest area. We temporarily closed it and brought in

a tow truck. This freed up the entrance and prevented

backups into the travel lanes.”

Aaron Warr, senior survey technician, is licensed and

trained to plow snow and treat roadways with salt or

abrasives. He is responsible for the area of Route 340

between Stuarts Draft and Greenville. “Once the main

route is totally clear,” Warr says, “if no one else needs

help I start on the side roads and then move on to the

subdivisions.”

Bob Pettit, district training manager, serves as

program support to the McGaheysville AHQ. He

answers the phones, submits nighttime road condition

reports and handles other administrative duties. “My

duty pales in comparison to the demanding job our

transportation operators accomplish on the highways

during emergency snow operations,” says Pettit.

This is the view from a massive snow blower, which cleared five-to 10-foot drifts from Clarke County roads.

backing up on the ramps,” Sager recalled. “At exit 291, we have a VDOT facility (Toms Brook Area Headquarters) using the same ramps and we couldn’t get trucks in and out.”

In the days leading up to the January 2016 snowfall, Staunton joined other VDOT districts in reaching out directly to drivers with a simple plea: Wait out the storm and give our plow operators some time to clear the roads. The Governor himself fre-quently repeated that message, and Walker believes the campaign made a real difference. “It’s a Godsend when people heed warnings to stay home. People have to get off the road for us to do our job.”

On the eve of the winter storm, anti-icing trucks spread brine on hundreds of lane-miles of vital roadways in the Staunton District. VDOT operators topped off their fuel tanks, filled up with salt and assisted contractors who stopped by to pick up plows and spreaders. “We worked on our equipment all day Thursday to ensure we were ready,” says Superintendent Bill Stover of the Stephens City Area Headquarters. “Then we waited for the snow to get here.” In many areas, overnight crew members were sent home for some rest before starting a continual rotation of 12-hour shifts.

VDOT employees and contractors know their routes in advance, so they know exactly where to go once the flakes begin to fall. During a major storm like this one, operators have to continually plow and re-plow the same stretches of road just to keep snow depths to a minimum. They keep going day and night, sometimes in near white-out conditions. They keep going through whipping winds that blow snow right back onto the roadway. And they keep going even when their neighbors aren’t happy to see them.

Richard Thacker, a 38-year VDOT employee, has seen the best and worst from VDOT customers. He works most of the year with the Staunton sign crew, but pushes snow whenever the need arises. Thacker has seen people swing brooms and shovels at his truck, and even walk out into snowbound roadways to block his path.

On the other hand, he has experienced the generosity of residents and business owners who appreciate

VDOT’s efforts. On the first day of the big storm, Thacker and another operator were

staged along Route 250 so they could start spreading salt as soon as the snow arrived. “A woman pulled up in a van and walked up to my truck with something in her hand,” he recalls. “She just handed me a bag and said, ‘You all need and deserve this. Have a

safe day.’ She had brought us breakfast sandwiches and coffee from Dunkin’

Donuts. It makes you feel good.”

Supervisors throughout the district say they feel good about the way their operators excelled in

those challenging conditions. At the Toms Brook AHQ, Superintendent Charlie Whittington says the snow arrived near the forecasted time, and his crews and contractors were ready. “We had equipment staged to begin fighting the snow as soon as it started,” he says. Despite the sheer depth of the snow, low visibility and strong winds during and after the storm, “our employees performed very well and our VDOT equipment held up well.”

Snowfall totals in the mountainous Highland County ranged from 18 to 30 inches, according to Monterey AHQ Superintendent Raymond Lightner. “All roads in the county were plowed by

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“We had equipment staged to begin fighting the snow as soon as it started. Our employees performed very well and our VDOT equipment held up well.”

Charlie WhittingtonSuperintendent Toms Brook AHQ

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Sunday evening,” says Lightner. “That was some effort, with VDOT and contractors knowing where they needed to be and doing a great job.”

Stephens City saw one of the highest snow totals – 34 inches. Stover led the battle against the storm with 93 pieces of equipment and a roster of dedicated crew members. “We had several employees who stayed in a motel on Saturday and Sunday night,” he says. “It went well on all phases and now is just another memory.”

MARCH 2016

“ I want to take a moment to THANK EVERYONE FOR ANOTHER “JOB WELL DONE!” Your teamwork, detailed planning, preparation and execution was spot-on and as usual, you made the hard look easy.”

– Lindsay Walker

Just after the January snowstorm, fifth-and sixth-grade students from Shenandoah Valley Adventist Elementary in New Market created dozens of thank-you letters for VDOT crews. The letters were mailed directly to the governor’s office. Here’s a sample of the students’ words of encouragement:

KIDS SAY THANKS TO VDOT

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Shenandoah and Rockingham “I felt the need to send your office the enclosed "Thank You". When I pulled out of my driveway in Shenandoah County this morning and headed to my office in Harrison-burg, I was so impressed with road conditions. I have no clue how your team accomplished the task of clearing the roads so successfully, but what an AWESOME job. Much appreciated.”

Clarke County…“We witnessed firsthand the long hours your crews worked to clear Route 50. Please extend our deepest thanks for a job well done! We know it was tiresome & hope they got the rest they deserved! AWESOME JOB!!!!

Frederick, Stephens City…“I would like to thank the two gentle-men that dug us out this morning! They worked so hard and helped everybody in my neighborhood (Woodside Estates, Stephens City, VA). It was greatly

appreciated!! Thank you so much!!”

Augusta County, Sherando area…“The plow drivers did an excellent job plowing the road. Been living here through a number of big snows. This weekend plow job has been the best so far. Don’t know the plow drivers names but would you let them know their work is appreciated.People tend to complain rather then give a compliment. I just wanted you to know of the good job they did with the conditions they were working in. Thanks again.”

Frederick County...

I know you all hear a lot of complaints

from people so I wanted to make sure

that you hear something good. My hat

is off to all of those that have been

away from their family's to ensure our

roads are clear and safe. I can't stress

enough what a wonderful job your

crews have and are continuing to do.

Wishing each and every one of them

safe travels during the course of their

work. Thanks again for doing an

excellent job.”

Shenandoah County...

“Many of us are quick

to criticize so we should

be just as quick to praise.

I was duly impressed by

the snow removal on

these roads.“

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Mass shootings dominate news headlines and strike fear in us all – partly because they’re difficult to predict and have proven nearly impossible to prevent. But Virginia State Police told VDOT Staunton District employees that there are ways to help reduce the number of these incidents and reduce their severity.

During the district complex safety meeting on January 23, First Sgt. Scott Van Lear and Sgt. C.J. Aikens shared a frank discussion about active-shooter scenarios and how citizens can protect themselves. Of course the best place to start is prevention, which requires us to truly become acquainted with our co-workers so we can recognize signs of distress or changes in behavior.

“Those people you work with every day – how old are their kids? Where do they go to school? Do they go to church? What kind of hobbies do they have?” challenged Van Lear. “If you really know the person, you’ll be more readily able to identify that ‘thousand-yard stare’ before he goes off.”

If you ever find yourself in an active-shooter situation, state police offer this list of priorities and plans of action:

• Escape: Long before there’s an emergency, discuss your building’s escape routes and lockdown procedures. Work with your fellow employees to agree on a safe rendezvous point.

• Lockdown/Hide: Lock all doors, turn off lights and silence your phone. Find something to hide inside or behind. If a shooter thinks an area is vacant, he may move on. • Attack: If all else fails, use whatever you can find as an improvised weapon. As Van Lear told the group, “You’ll be surprised at your abilities when you’re fighting for your life.”

MARCH 2016

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Education for rising community leaders in Augusta County included “VDOT 101” – an informal class in road maintenance, snow removal, transportation funding and planning for future projects. Assistant Harrisonburg Residency Administrator Josh Dunlap shared his knowledge on those topics during a two-hour session with students from Leadership Greater Augusta.

The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts LGA for business and non-profit leaders. The February 4 session focused on the inner workings of local government and the VDOT Staunton District. LGA attendees had plenty of questions about VDOT’s winter storm response, and Dunlap explained how the residency coordinated the efforts of its employees and contractors.

Dunlap also talked about VDOT’s project planning under House Bill 2, which led to a scoring system for proposed road improvements and changes in funding formulas.

“The goal is to make the system more transparent and to fully fund fewer projects, rather than have a bunch of partially funded projects,” he said.

LEADERSHIP IN TRANSPORTATION

Virginia State Police Discuss Active-Shooter Scenarios

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The third Shared Value in VDOT’s recently updated 2016 Mission and Values Statement is “Trust, respect, support, and encourage each other.” Sounds easy enough, but building trust is often one of the most difficult challenges for leaders. When I say leaders, I mean anyone from Transportation Operator I all the way up to the Commissioner – everyone can be a leader in some capacity. Building trust internally within the entirety of VDOT as a whole – with different sections, divisions, and with each other as coworkers – and externally with Commonwealth citizens and random travelers on the Virginia highways is something anyone wanting to be a successful leader must do. Trust underpins every relationship in the workplace between boss and employee, between colleagues, between businesses, and between all of VDOT and the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, trust isn’t something inherent just by showing up each day and going through the motions; it must be earned and forged through consistent action. Building trust is hard work and while there are many ways to become a trusted leader, here are some common traits known as the “Six Cs” to help you be the glue in forging a trustworthy organization.

Commitment. Commitment is the number one trait a leader can demonstrate to build trust. A committed leader or employee is someone who is loyal to the organization’s mission, vision, values and the team. Despite setbacks, failures or challenges a committed leader will persevere and build trust with those around them by staying present, engaged, and positive.

Connection. We live in the most connected time in human history, yet we are often disconnected. A trustworthy leader is connected to the employees he or she is responsible for. Connected leaders never act detached or distant in their leadership roles and take time from daily commitments to interact with team members in a meaningful way. Building connections with direct reports helps them to see that their leader is a trustworthy person who cares about people and values involvement.

Compassion. Compassion is often interpreted as coddling or accepting mediocrity. This is not the case! Trustworthy leaders expect excellent performance and professionalism from their teams, but they also realize nobody is perfect. Human beings make mistakes, suffer hardships, and sometimes just need to know that someone cares. A great leader knows their employees, listens to their concerns, responds appropriately, empowers their decisions, and “has the back” of each team member.

Consistency. Trusted leaders maintain cool, calm and collected demeanor even under the greatest stress. By maintaining consistent expectations, reactions and decision making leaders build trust within their teams and direct reports, internal or external customers are more likely to bring great ideas or legitimate concerns.

Competency. Competent leaders invest time in expanding their skills, participate in continuous learning and research the issues affecting their organization regardless of how small or large it may be. A competent leader does not have to be the expert in all things, but surrounds themselves with skilled, knowledgeable people and relies on their expertise.

Communication. Good communication will solve 90% of all problems. A great leader communicates clearly, concisely and coherently.

Go GReeN, STAy GReeN LeADeRSHIP INITIATIve

guEST COLuMN by bOb PETTIT

STAUNTON DISTRICT TRAINING MANAGER

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TRUST: THE GLUE THAT BINDS LEADERSHIP AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TOGETHER

MARCH 2016

vDoTour

Customers

SNOW PLOW OPERATORS EARN THEIR “WINGS”

The VDOT Staunton District rolled out a valuable new tool for snow removal during the winter of 2015-16. Like any new equip-ment, using it safely and effectively required some extra training.

Four new “wing plows” have been stationed at the Berryville, Stephens City, Luray and Fairfield Area Headquarters. Operators gathered for a daylong session on January 6 at the Harrisonburg Residency, where they received classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training. Van Bowman and Hank Gobar, contractors for VDOT’s Maintenance Training Academy, led the session and fielded questions about real-life scenarios.

The wing plows are six feet wide and can be extended from the right side of a standard dump truck outfitted for snow duty. They’re intended for use mostly on interstates and wide primary roads, as the specially designed obstacle course showed. “You’re not always able to run with your wing down,” Bowman advised. “You’re going to have bridges, mailboxes, fire hydrants and some areas that are just too narrow. So you’re going to have to raise the wing up to get through.”

The obstacle course allowed operators to get their bearings with the vehicle’s wider footprint, and test the roof-mounted laser that helps them see where the edge of the wing plow will reach. The course included some curves so drivers would note how that affected the angle of the laser guide and make adjustments ac-cordingly. So how did the new equipment perform?

J.B. Woodward, a Staunton District construction inspector who pushes snow on Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County, admits that he was “very skeptical” of the new plows. “However, the wing made an immense difference,” he says. “The truck did not handle any differently – even with a full blade of snow – and the extra width enabled my push truck to clear the right emergency lane. The design of the plow actually allows the snow to be thrown over the guardrail.”

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BUILDING PROJECT TAKES ANOTHER STEP Staunton District employees who call the administration building home continue to work through the noise and disruption of an $850,000 renovation. But they’re also starting to see the benefits of the project.

The Location and Design team finished moving into newly remodeled space on the third floor in January. Contractors began work on the first and second floors, which house Administrative staff, Human Resources, Communications, Training, Right of Way and district Planning staff. People who work in these sections will return around April 1 to find new heating, cooling and flooring as well as three additional meeting rooms.

April will also see the start of renovations on the third-floor offices of the Bridge Delivery and Design section. During each phase of the project, employees move into temporary space within the district complex. If you’re planning a face-to-face meeting with one of them, call first to make sure you go to the right building.

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MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE

MARCH 2016

Donna Brown and Melissa Lotts of the Civil Rights Section again this year successfully coordinated Staunton District‘s MLK Day of Service, pooling district complex and residency donations in support of the Valley Mission, the area’s homeless shelter located in Staunton.

On February 29, Matt Shiley, NWRO Regional Operations director, with assistance from Melissa Lotts and Sam Leckrone, presented Valley Mission Executive Director Susan Richardson with multiple boxes of housekeeping and cleaning supplies along with a check for $500. Donna Brown noted that Staunton District employees’ generous monetary donations and the large amount of cleaning supplies collected clearly demonstrate their support of the services provided by Valley Mission.

Few things are more aggravating than having to stop repeatedly for multiple red lights. One Staunton-based traffic engineer offered some ideas for preventing that, and they earned him some attention from the Transportation Research Board.

Sam Leckrone of the Northwest Regional Operations division submitted a research paper for the TRB’s annual meeting in Washington D.C. this past January. Leckrone was chosen to deliver a “poster session,” which includes a large visual display and a chance to discuss his findings with fellow transportation professionals from around the world.

“It’s hard to explain, but I found a way to design a corridor around signal progression,” Leckrone says. His theory aims to improve traffic flow along busy roads by incorporating vehicle speed, intersection spacing and the timing of traffic signals. Leckrone’s ideas may be incorporated into future corridor studies in the Staunton District and beyond.

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NWRO Traffic Engineer Sam Leckrone (right) and his supervisor, Don Logan, stand with a presentation Leckrone created for the Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

ENGINEERING A WAY TO “GO WITH THE FLOW”

“ The Valley Mission provides shelter to the homeless and food to the hungry. Once again, the Edinburg, Lexington, Harrisonburg residencies and the District Complex verified how they care for others.” – Donna Brown Civil Rights Manager

“ Valley Mission is exceedingly grateful to once again be the recipient of dona-tions collected as part of the VDOT Staunton District Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Without the support of the community, Valley Mission could not continue its service to the almost 600 people in need who seek our services.” – Emilie Mehrtens Assistant Executive Director

Matt Shiley presents VDOT’s MLK Day of Service cash donations to Valley Mission. Left to Right: Sam Leckrone, Melissa Lotts, Valley Mission staff Stephanie Morehead, Emilie Mehrtens, Susan Richardson, and Matt Shiley.

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SERVICE AWARDS MARCH & APRIL PERSONNEL NOTES DEC. 25, 2015 - FEB. 10, 2016

5 years Patrick A. Hydrick Paul B. Knick Jr.Jason D. McCurdyDouglas C. Swisher

10 years Donnie L. Maybush Cynthia L. PalmerBertha J. RogersDana F. Weeks 15 years Arthur R. Boyce IIIGlenn D. Brown

Kent C. DyerWayne T. GetzJason E. Long

20 years Randy D. BerryStephen McDonagh Guy C. TudorNicky W. Wimer 30 years Junior A. Scott

PromotionWilliam Housman, Engineering Technician II, Construction New HiresHomayoon Barekat, Architect/Engineer I, Staunton NWRO John Coffey, Transportation Operator II, Fairfield AHQJoshua Fadeley, Transportation Operator I, Toms Brook AHQEddie Goodloe, Transportation Operator II, Chimney Rock AHQTravis Heier, Transportation Operator I, Front Royal AHQ Ian Horn, Transportation Operator I, Staunton NWRO Walter Ingram, Equipment Service Repair Technician I, Staunton ShopGraydon Jedamski, Transportation Operator II, Mauzy AHQ Darrin Lucas, Transportation Operator I, Stephens City AHQ Bradley Reed, Program Administration Specialist II, Planning John Smith, Transportation Operator II, Millboro AHQ Scott Tredway, Transportation Operator II, Berryville AHQ Randy Whitlock, Transportation Operator II, Fairfield AHQ Samuel Wilkins, Transportation Operator II, Chimney Rock AHQ

LEARNING CENTER CLASSES

Basic Work Zone Traffic Control8 a.m. to 4 p.m.March 8 McGaheysville AHQMarch 9 Mauzy AHQMarch 10 Chimney Rock AHQMarch 29 Mount Jackson AHQMarch 30 Edinburg Residency Conference RoomMarch 31 Edinburg Residency Conference Room

First Aid / CPR / Bloodborne Pathogens8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 14 Staunton District AuditoriumMarch 15 Lexington ResidencyMarch 16 Harrisonburg ResidencyMarch 29 Edinburg ResidencyMarch 30 Harrisonburg Residency Asphalt Field, Level I Certification School8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (2 day event) Class Day 1 and Exam Day 2 March 29 & 30 Holiday Inn @ Exit 226/I-81 Asphalt Field, Level II Certification School8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (2 day event) March 30 & 31 Holiday Inn @ Exit 226/I-81 Contract Administration w / Ethics Training8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.March 1 Staunton District Auditorium

FHWA-NHI – 134005 Value Engineering Workshop8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day March 29 to 31 Staunton District Auditorium

GRIT – Guardrail Installers Training for Inspector and Designer8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.May 3 Staunton District Auditorium

UVA / TTA Classes8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staunton District AuditoriumMarch 24 Soils for Pavement Design March 29 to 31 NHI VA Value Engineering Workshop April 6 to 7 Maintenance of Gravel RoadsApril 19 Tort Liability Leadership Development Program-Supervisors (LDP-S)March 2 to November 18 For a list of class offerings and locations please contact Janice Ramsey or Bob Pettit.

Leadership Development Program-Teammates (LDP-T)Tenatively scheduled to begin March 23. Contact Janice Ramsey or Bob Pettit if interested.

Questions? Contact Janice Ramsey Janice.Ramsey@VDOT.Virginia.gov or (540) 332-8934

Staunton District Office of Communications

811 Commerce RoadStaunton, VA 24401-9029

(540) 332-9201 © 2016 Commonwealth of Virginia

A MESSAGE FROM RANDY KISER…DATES TO REMEMBER

2016 bLOOD DRIVES 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. March 22 Bloodmobile on-siteMay 17 Auditorium

Doug Baker of the Berryville AHQ made a lifelong friend when he tossed some food to this rooster, which wandered over to the AHQ from a nearby farm. Now it’s Berryville’s unofficial mascot.

The hard work, dedication and planning by VDOT employees does not go unnoticed by the public.

This was highly evident during our historic winter storm in late January. With snow measured in feet, our crews, staff and responders put forth an outstanding effort resulting in a cleared inter-state system and many primary and secondary roads passable the day after the storm ended. These results were witnessed that day by Governor Terry McAuliffe, Secretary of Transportation Aubrey L. Layne Jr. and Commissioner Charles A. Kilpatrick who took a helicopter tour of the Commonwealth’s roadways.

I want to extend my thanks to all of you for an outstanding job during this weather event. Not only did we receive high praise from Governor McAuliffe, Secretary Layne and VDOT leadership, but our district also received a significant amount of positive comments from the public through calls, emails, letters and social media postings. This could not be achieved without your thorough planning, teamwork, and attention to quality and detail.

Your performance brings exceptional value to Virginia’s traveling public.

We appreciate your hard work and dedication in keeping Virginia moving safely.

Stay safe,

Randy S. Kiser, P.E.

Staunton District Administrator

HUMAN RESOURCES REMINDERS

To request a new COVA Care or COVA HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) ID card:

Call the ID Card Order Line 1-866-587-6713. Provide either your health card ID number or your social security number. Call Nanette Lam at 540-332-9904 if you have questions about Health Care, Flexible Benefit Accounts, Workers’ Comp and/or VSDP. Call Marsha Reese at 540-332-7066 if you have questions about Retirement and/or Life Insurance.

Why did the chicken cross the road?