November Interchange 2015

Interchange November 2015, Vol. 43, Issue 11

Asset activates avalanches

New O’BellxŽ system installed near Jackson

Letters

Pleasant license renewal experience Sept. 21, 2015 Director Cox, Recently I went to the Department of Transportation Driver Services office in Sheridan to renew my driver’s license. I was filled with dread having heard stories from around Wyoming about the long lines and the bureaucratic difficulties in reviewing driver’s licenses at this point in time.

My experience was the opposite of what I expected. It was pleasant, efficient and helpful throughout. The woman at the Sheridan office who helped me was Heather. I had never encountered her before, but I found her to be a real model for the kind of governmental responsiveness which we hope to have.

I thought it was valuable to pass along a little of the good news of how your offices are performing, instead of the bad.

Thanks.

Yours very truly, Kim D. Cannon Davis & Cannon, LLP

Wonderful road trip through Wyoming Dear Gov. Mead, My two sisters and I took a ‘road trip’ the last two weeks of August from Ohio to your amazing state of Wyoming. For one sister, it was the first time for her to see the great prairies of our wonderful country.

Our destinations were Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Cody, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole (whoever dropped the ‘Hole’ must be younger than 40), Rock Springs, then over to Cheyenne.

This state is beautiful, the changing scenery is a marvel to behold and Shell Canyon absolutely took our breath away.

What a magnificent state you govern – so rich in history, in topography and minerals.

WHY am I writing to you? It is to let you know the one single thought that we commented on frequently as we drove around your fine state, their roads are in excellent condition! So smooth, wide lanes, wonderful 80 mph to be able to cover the vast expanse of open spaces. There were

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NO potholes, NO patching, NO strings of sealant anywhere we drove. Thank you for making the driving as much of a pleasure as ogling the fantastic scenery. One side note: Illinois could use your expertise in road maintenance and friendliness.

One sister had a medical problem in Cody and the clinic gave aide promptly and efficiently. So efficiently that she received not one but two follow up calls to check to make sure she was progressing as expected.

She was.

We were impressed with your excellence in road maintenance and with the medical care.

I’m rambling on. Thank you for the fine care you and your fellow citizens are taking of this wonder of a state.

Most sincerely, Mary K. Werner

Interchange Interchange is published for employees of the Wyoming Department of Transportation by its Public Affairs Office and a number of field correspondents.

Interchange invites submissions from all employees. Please send them to either your district correspondents or to: Carlie Van Winkle, Interchange editor, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY, 82009-3340. The Public Affairs Office may also be contacted by phoning (307) 777-4165, faxing (307) 777-4289, or sending email to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

Lincoln Monument surface shines on Dear Gov. Mead, As you are probably aware, the Lincoln Monument between Laramie and Cheyenne, created by my father Robert I. Russin, has just been cleaned, sealed and restored to its original luster.

This work, done by Eagle Bronze in Lander, was commissioned and supervised

by WYDOT, in particular Pat Persson and Kory Cramer of the District 1 office in Laramie. I wanted you to know how wonderfully and carefully this work was performed. Long ago, in 1958 in fact, Gov. Milward Simpson promised that the state would take care of the sculpture. Over the years WYDOT has certainly made good on that promise and I wanted to express to you the appreciation of the Russin family for the state’s care and promotion of the Monument.

My father chose Lincoln’s advice that, “We must think anew and act anew” to put on the monument’s plaque. For the past several years the face of Lincoln at the summit of I-80 has been dark and sorrowful. Now with the surface restored to its original golden bronze, you and the thousands who visit that park can look anew at the shining, inspiring face of our greatest president.

Once again, thank you from our family for Wyoming’s support of the sculpture.

Staff WYDOT Director: William T. Panos Public Affairs Manager: Doug McGee Editor/Art Director: Carlie Van Winkle Contributors: Bruce Burrows Public Affairs Dave Kingham Public Affairs Carlie Van Winkle Public Affairs Ross Doman District 1 Jeff Goetz District 2 Stephanie Harsha District 3 Ronda Holwell District 4 Cody Beers District 5 Sgt. David Wagener Patrol Photography: Rick Carpenter Public Affairs

Sincerely, Joseph Russin

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November 2015

DOT publication

Also in this issue:

Contents

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Letters.....................................2 District briefs.........................4 By the Numbers................. 6

10

TechNotes............................12 Training............................... 13 District news.......................14

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9%

Awards..................................16

1.4%

s & Folders to Google Drive Noteworthy..........................17 Passings................................18

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Extra Mile Awards..............18

89.6%

WTDEA..................................19 Break Time.......................... 23

Google Drive can be found by clicking on the 9-square icon in the top right of your Google Mail window.

Be sure to check out the online version Interchange at Once theof9-square http://issuu.com/wydot.pao, icon opens the panel, or click on the link found on the select “Drive. ” website employee’s internal

homeDrive page. will Google open and will, by default, show all that is in

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® and name a Snow sent slidingCreate with O’Bellx Gas exploder

new folder by clicking on the “New” button.

WYDOT has new chief engineer While in vacancy the new Gregg Fredrick steps into folder, click again on I believe the work the “New” button and I do is important.

WHP Employee Satisfaction select “File Upload.”

2015 survey shows successes; room for improvement Agree Neutral

12 Moving files to your Google Drive Disagree

You can also click and

Step-by-step infographic drag the folder you

On the cover: are moving and WYDOT Avalanche Technician Jamie Yount stands near the newly hover it overinstalled the O’Bellx Gas exploder in Teton County. empty folder.

The November 2015 n Interchange 3 blue icon below ®

Photo: WYDOT

District Briefs Contracts totaling $31.9 million for nine projects were awarded

Cheyenne – Lewis & Lewis Inc. of Rock Springs won the largest of the contracts with the low bid of $8.7 million for milling off deteriorating pavement and replacing it with a new layer of pavement on a 12-mile section of Interstate 80 about 12 miles west of Green River. The project also will include bridge deck rehabilitation work, and the contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2016.

Casper’s Oftedal Construction was the low bidder at $8.1 million for improvements to 3.3 miles of the southbound lanes of Interstate 25 between El Rancho Road and North Cottonwood Creek north of Wheatland. The project will include reconstruction in some areas, widening and new pavement in others, rehabilitation work on four bridges and drainage improvements. The work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2017.

McGarvin-Moberly Construction of Worland won a $6.3 million contract for work on 6 miles of the westbound lanes of I-80 at Walcott Junction. Previous pavement overlays will be removed, and the original concrete pavement will be cracked and seated to provide a base for 5 inches of new asphalt pavement. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2016.

Cheyenne’s Knife River was awarded a $5.3 million contract to mill off deteriorating pavement and replace it with a new layer of pavement on 10 miles of the eastbound lanes of I-80 about 10 miles west of Laramie. Three bridges on the highway section will get deck rehabilitation work as part of the project scheduled for completion by Oct. 31, 2016.

Five contracts were awarded for crack sealing to preserve the pavement on highway sections around the state. Highway Improvement Inc. of Sioux Falls, S.D., won the largest of the contracts with the low bid of $1.5 million for crack sealing on highways in Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties by

HQ

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May 31, 2016.

Highway Improvement also won crack sealing contracts of $570,000 for highways in Converse, Laramie and Platte counties

by March 31, $509,000 for highways in Big Horn, Fremont and Park counties by May 31, and $466,000 for WYO 530 south of Green River by April 30.

Hardrives Construction of Billings, Mont., was the low bidder at $487,000 for crack sealing on highways in Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Niobrara, Sheridan and Weston counties by May 31, 2016.

Wyoming project will connect snowplows, trucks, fleet management centers Cheyenne – WYDOT’s project under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program will connect snowplows, trucks, fleet management centers and roadside equipment to provide enhanced advisories to trucks and personal vehicles on the I-80 corridor in Wyoming.

The pilot will develop applications that use vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicleto-vehicle connectivity to support a flexible range of services from advisories, roadside alerts, parking notifications and dynamic travel guidance.

The goal is to improve the safety of the traveling public and reduce the incidents associated with adverse weather conditions frequently encountered on the corridor.

I-80, which reaches its highest elevation at 8,640 feet between Cheyenne and Laramie, is a major corridor for east-west freight movement in the northwest part of the country.

Through this pilot, WYDOT hopes to improve safety and freight mobility along the corridor through a reduction in the number of truck blowover incidents, secondary incidents, and road closures.

Since 2011, more than 200 blowovers were reported related to high wind events.

On Jan. 5 of this year alone, there were 18 crashes attributed to the wind. From October 2007 to April 2012, there were 86 road closures along the Wyoming I-80

corridor, and the average duration for these closures was more than eight hours.

“We’ve made several process changes to WYDOT’s operations over the course of several years, such as closing roads to light, high profile vehicles during strong wind events and implementing variable speed limits to harmonize traffic flows.

But it’s clear that the increased traffic on Interstate 80 will demand an even greater focus on safety, and we think the connected vehicle technologies will help us reach our goal of improving safety while increasing mobility,“ Vince Garcia, WYDOT’s GIS/ITS program manager said.

WYDOT will conduct the pilot in three phases as directed by the federal contract. In the first phase, which elaborates the deployment concepts, WYDOT will be supported by a multidisciplinary team including ICF International, University of Wyoming, National Center for Atmospheric Research, TriHydro, University of Maryland Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies, and McFarland Management. Additional partners and stakeholders will be engaged in the development and deployment phases of the pilot.

The USDOT is providing about $730,000 for the first phase of the project, and the combined cost of all three phases is projected to be about $5.2 million.

The I-80 corridor in Wyoming is one of only three locations around the nation the USDOT selected to participate in the Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment Program.

“We’re very excited to have this opportunity to explore using this innovative technology to improve safety and traffic flow on I-80 in Wyoming,” WYDOT Director John Cox said. “Much of the freight moving from West Coast ports to the Midwest uses that highway, which can experience rapidly changing and extreme weather conditions. Anything we can do to help get road and traffic condition information to the drivers on the highway will improve safety for travelers in commercial and private vehicles.”

WYDOT expects to work closely with federal partners to define the program requirements and deliver a scalable and replicable pilot that is a model for rural states to take advantage of vehicle and infrastructure connectivity.

Vehicle stopped for speeding; 57 pounds of marijuana found

Stolen vehicle recovered after pursuit

Cheyenne – A crash on Oct. 17 involving two vehicles at milepost 12 on I-25 resulted in a truck fire and interstate closure. The crash occurred on I-25 in Cheyenne near Lake Absarraca.

A southbound 2013 Freightliner commercial truck with trailer initially left the interstate to the west, struck a sign and light pole in the west ditch before being overcorrected back onto the southbound lanes. The overcorrection sent the vehicle into the concrete jersey barrier in the median. Debris from the crash with the jersey barrier was sent into the northbound lanes of I-25 striking a northbound 2010 Chevrolet pickup driven by a Cheyenne resident. The southbound commercial vehicle came to rest on top of the jersey barrier and caught fire.

The driver of the truck was treated for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported. The truck driver has been cited for improper lane use with other charges pending as the investigation continues.

Both southbound and northbound lanes of I-25 were closed for approximately one hour before single lanes of traffic were permitted around the crash scene. All lanes of I-25 were reopened that afternoon.

Laramie – Two Colorado residents were arrested Oct. 16 after leading law enforcement in two states on separate pursuits in a stolen BMW. The WHP was notified by the Larimer County Colorado Sheriff ’s Office to be on the lookout for a stolen blue 2013 BMW 328i stolen from the Denver area. Sheriff ’s deputies had been in pursuit of the vehicle earlier, but eventually terminated.

Through the use of technology, teamwork and communication, the BMW was located by WHP troopers approximately seven miles south of Laramie on U.S. 287.

Technology was utilized in a security feature in the BMW that allowed BMW representatives to track the location of the car on northern Colorado dirt roads as it headed north towards Wyoming.

Teamwork between multiple agencies in Wyoming and Colorado was used to cordon off areas for eventual location of the car. Communication between all of the agencies dispatch centers was also key in helping the troopers locate the stolen BMW. After troopers located the vehicle, the BMW accelerated up to speeds around 135 mph and a pursuit began northbound towards Laramie. A deputy with the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office was able to successfully deploy stop sticks on the left front tire of the BMW approximately two miles south of Laramie on U.S. 287.

As the front left tire went flat and eventually separated from the rim, the pursuit continued east on I-80 for four miles on at speeds of 110 mph. The BMW eventually exited off of I-80 at exit 317 just east of Laramie and stopped on the off ramp. The two occupants were taken into custody by troopers and deputies without incident.

Both the driver and passenger of the stolen vehicle were taken to the Albany County Detention Center in Laramie. The driver was charged with possession of stolen property, eluding law enforcement, reckless driving and speeding as well as being held on a Colorado warrant for

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Photo: WHP

Cheyenne – A traffic stop for speeding on Oct. 15 west of Cheyenne resulted in the arrest of two California men who were traveling with more than 50 pounds of marijuana.

A state trooper stopped a blue 2015 Hyundai Accent at milepost 351 on I-80 approximately nine miles west of Cheyenne. The Hyundai was traveling 85 in 75 mph zone.

While speaking with the two occupants of the Hyundai, the trooper could smell the odor of raw marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The trooper’s partner, WHP K-9 Hunter, also smelled the marijuana prompting a search of the car.

WHP troopers, with the assistance of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), discovered approximately 57 pounds of marijuana in the Hyundai.

The driver and passenger, both of Hoopa, Calif., were taken into custody at the Laramie County Detention Center in Cheyenne and are charged with felony possession of marijuana and felony possession with intent to deliver.

The case has been turned over to DCI for further investigation.

Truck crash near milepost 12; fire closes I-25

Photo: WHP

WHP K-9 Hunter assisted in the arrest of two California men transporting 57 pounds of marijuana.

The truck high-centered on the center jersey barrier of I-25 and caught fire. Jersey barrier debris littered the northbound lanes of I-25 at milepost 12.

Briefs continued on page 6 November 2015

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flight and escape. Charges were pending for the passenger.

No injuries were sustained in the successful ending to the pursuit. Troopers from the Laramie, Cheyenne and Elk Mountain areas assisted in the search.

Along with the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office, the Laramie Police Department also assisted with the pursuit.

Casper – While assisting the Natrona County Sheriff ’s Office in a pursuit on Oct. 18, two WHP vehicles were rammed by the fleeing suspect.

The patrol vehicles sustained significant damage but the troopers were not injured during the pursuit.

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Photo: WHP

WHP responded to Cole Creek Fire The left front tire was flattened with stop sticks and then separated from the car. The BMW continued to flee without a tire until the occupants of the BMW stopped east of Laramie at exit 317.

Casper – On Oct. 11, WHP troopers responded to assist the Natrona County Sheriff ’s Office with a massive fire that began in Casper and spread through Evansville into parts of Converse County.

Troopers responded to assist deputies in evacuating hundreds of residents. WHP responded from Casper, Buffalo, Kaycee, Douglas, Wheatland, Guernsey and Lusk to assist.

Troopers remained on scene assisting the Sheriff ’s Office and fire crews. WYO 256 east of Casper was closed throughout the day with no public access to the area.

Crews applied epoxy striping in Teton County

Total number of employees: as of Oct. 7, 2015

1,967

One month ago

1,984

One year ago

1,967

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Jackson – WYDOT and contract crews from Kolbe Striping Inc., from Castle Rock, Colo., are applying striping in Teton County. The striping contract was awarded for about $1.9 million, with a project completion date of Nov. 30.

Crews began installing epoxy striping at the beginning of October on various roads throughout the Teton County area as part of a statewide contract to restore proper visibility of pavement markings on state highways.

Pavement markings, or striping lines, are a common and expected traffic control to provide visual information to drivers for regulating, warning and guiding vehicle movements on roads.

“Running over a wet paint line ruins

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the reflectivity, which decreases nighttime visibility. We hope drivers will avoid running over these freshly painted stripes,” said Striping Foreman Jeff Fox. Striping paint generally dries fully within three to six minutes.

All highways north of Hoback Junction will be striped to the Park boundary, including WYO 22 and WYO 390.

Speed Limit lowered on 10-mile stretch of U.S. 14 Sheridan – The speed limit on a 10mile stretch of U.S. 14 from Dayton to Burgess Junction was lowered. The limit was reduced from 65 mph to 40 mph between mileposts 70 and 80.

WYDOT conducted a speed study on the section and concluded that the 85th percentile speed in this section of the mountain pass was 39 mph.

“WYDOT tries to post speed limits within 5 mph of the 85th percentile,” said Traffic Engineer Jim Evensen. “There are 36 curves coming off of the face of the mountain in this 10 mile stretch.”

The speed study was a result of the increased amount of truck accidents WYDOT has seen in this area in the past year and a half – 11 crashes with one resulting in a fatality.

The speed limit was changed the first week of October.

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Image courtesy Google

WHP patrol cars rammed during pursuit

Briefs continued from page 5

Concrete barrier replacement east of Lovell on U.S. 14A Lovell – A $207,000 contract to replace a pair of 100-foot sections of concrete barrier is under way on U.S. 14A, about 20 miles east of Lovell.

Reiman Corp., of Cheyenne is the prime contractor on the project at mileposts 70.95 and 71.05 on U.S. 14A. The repair project involves replacing two sections of concrete guardrail that were damaged in two different crashes involving semi-trailers.

“The old barrier did its job but it needs to be replaced. This project will accomplish that and will improve highway safety on U.S. 14A,” said WYDOT Resident Engineer Michael Miller of Basin.

During the project, a 12-foot width restriction and a 40,000-pound weight limit are in effect on U.S. 14A between Lovell and Burgess Junction.

Completion date for the project is Oct. 31.

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WYO 789/17 Mile Road intersection closed for paving; improvements continue Riverton – Evening asphalt paving activities occurred at the WYO 789 and 17 Mile Road intersection south of Riverton, forcing the contractor to close access to 17 Mile Road.

Prime contractor LeGrand Johnson Construction Co., of Logan, Utah, closed 17 Mile Road for paving during a latenight, three-hour window.

“If needed, emergency vehicles will be allowed to pass through the intersection to get to 17 Mile Road,” Resident Engineer Robert Scheidemantel said. “Everyone else will be forced to access 17 Mile Road via Rendezvous Road near Hudson during the three-hour closure.”

On Oct. 7, the contractor used another late-night time frame to close access to Wind River Casino between 9 p.m. and midnight, completing paving in that area.

Highway and bridge improvements are continuing on the 3.32-mile highway and bridge improvement project directly south of Riverton on WYO 789.

The $11.04 million project for construction of a five-lane highway and widening of the Little Wind Bridge carried an Oct. 31 contract deadline, with the chip sealing and seeding contract deadline being June 30, 2016.

When the Riverton South project is complete, a new five-lane road will stretch from the Big Wind River bridge on Riverton’s south edge to south of Wind River

Casino on WYO 789.

The scope of work for the Riverton South project includes grading, draining, bridge widening, milling of asphalt pavement, removal and replacement of the existing temporary traffic signal at the WYO 137/WYO 789 intersection, placement of crushed gravel and new asphalt pavement, chip sealing, electrical work, guardrail removal and replacement, fencing and other work on 3.32 miles of WYO 789 beginning at milepost 100.86 between Hudson and Riverton. n

WHP Total number of highway fatalities: as of Oct. 26, 2014

121

one year ago

126

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Get travel information by dialing 511, visiting www.wyoroad.info, or by following us on Twitter.

Know before you go.

November 2015

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Avalanche – controlled Photos: Rick Carpenter

by Stephanie Harsha, District 3 Public Involvement Specialist

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The mountains of Northwestern

Wyoming offer stunning views and genuine outdoor living, but can also be very dangerous in the winter season. Snow slides can ravage winter roads and potentially harm motorists.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation’s avalanche team has developed an arsenal of countermeasures to help protect Teton counties mountain highways. With the upgrade of the new system, the job is now faster, safer and more efficient.

Back in the late 1960’s, WYO 22 was realigned through Teton Pass. Soon after, an area known as Glory Bowl delivered a snowslide that came crashing down on the new highway. Crews worked tirelessly to clear the new roadway, and after that, WYDOT concluded that some sort of avalanche management would be critical for the safety of travelers through the winter season.

WYDOT then began to employ avalanche technicians, whose job description basically lines out two important duties: forecasting and control. WYDOT developed a proactive approach to preventing major avalanches.

WYDOT’s avalanche team works toward bringing down potential slides in a controlled environment. This means initiating snow slides on closed sections of the highway, cleaning the snow off the road and then opening the road to traffic again.

“Traditionally, a lot of programs rely on artillery or hand delivered explosives, or helicopter bombing. And we’ve gone more to what I call avalanche control infrastructure, where it is remotely operated,” WYDOT Avalanche Technician Jamie Yount said.

The new type of avalanche infrastructure is the O’Bellx® Gas exploder. This giant, pod-like looking device is a hydrogen and oxygen gas exploder that sits on a tower. This device creates an explosion off the surface of the snow, sending shock waves across the snow, bringing down snowslides.

“It’s a lot more effective than if you actually had an explosive placed in the snow,” Yount said.

WYDOT has experienced success with a similar device, Gazex type exploders, which uses propane and oxygen instead of hydrogen and oxygen. However, the Gazex system is only as successful if the unit is reasonably accessible.

“We’ve had four Gazex gas exploders up on Mount Glory for the last 20‐plus years. And that system is great. But up on Glory, that’s easily accessible for us. It’s a reasonable walk to access those exploders to do maintenance and

everything else. This terrain that we deal with in the Hoback Canyon ‐ that’s not the case. You really can’t access the terrain in the wintertime.

And so if we were to have any sort of equipment failure, we really couldn’t access that and fix it on‐site. So that’s why we like this (O’Bellx®) technology – it’s self‐contained, helicopter deployed and retrievable,” Yount explained.

The new O’Bellx® system offers many advantages, the first of which is safety and more efficient operations. This equates to safer working conditions for WYDOT crews when trying to repair and inspect the system.

“The real advantage of this technology is the helicopter can deploy it and retrieve it without having to have any personnel on the ground – on-site. Because where we use this, in the Hoback Canyon, the terrain is really rugged, and it’s really impossible to access in the wintertime.

With the new system, any sort of problems we can fix without actually having to access the area,” Yount said.

The second advantage is shorter road closure times and more efficient operations.

“You can conduct your avalanche control mission in a fraction of the time. From road closure, to doing the avalanche control, to cleanup, to being back open is a matter of minutes instead of hours,” Yount said.

The WYDOT avalanche office performed the O’Bellx® work in-house, which saved the State of Wyoming almost $50,000 in installation costs. The team also performed a Gazex upgrade last summer, replacing the two oldest Gazex exploders with some new inertia type exploders. The team also replaced the aging dosage tanks and valves . This was also performed by the WYDOT avalanche office and saved the State of Wyoming over $100,000 in maintenance costs.

“We worked really hard over the summer,” said Yount.

The O’Bellx® technology is relatively new to North America, and WYDOT is pioneering its use Teton County. Yount receives calls about the system from ski resorts and transportation departments all over the United States and Canada.

“I think WYDOT has really been a leader in this technology, and we are continuing that role with this O’Bellx® deployment here in Jackson,” Yount said.

As the winter season approaches, Yount and his crew will continue to do as they have always done, to battle Mother Nature’s winter fury for the safety of the traveling public. But this year, they will have a new tool in their belt. n November 2015

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Fredrick named WYDOT chief engineer

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After earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1986, he became a permanent employee as a bridge engineer.

He worked his way up in the Bridge Program at Cheyenne headquarters, serving as assistant state bridge engineer for five years before becoming state bridge engineer in 2001. He was named assistant chief engineer for engineering and planning in 2010.

Fredrick currently serves as chairman of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures, a position he was appointed to in 2013. The subcommittee develops and updates national engineering standards, design and construction specifications and inspection requirements for bridges and structures.

He also serves as a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Long Term Bridge Performance Committee.

His other professional affiliations include the American Institute of Steel Construction, the Wyoming Engineering Society and the Laramie County Community College Engineering Technology Advisory Committee.

He served as an officer in the Wyoming Air National Guard from 1987-1997.

Fredrick and his wife, Barbie, have a son, Nate, who is a sophomore at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., and a daughter, Abbie, who is a senior at East High School.

The family members are avid runners, competing at the high school and college levels. They also enjoy biking, water sports and other family activities. n

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Interim Director Bill Panos has appointed Gregg Fredrick to serve as WYDOT’s new chief engineer, and the Wyoming Transportation Commission has approved the appointment.

Fredrick succeeds Del McOmie, who was recently appointed by Gov. Matt Mead to become director of the state School Facilities Department.

“Gregg was instrumental in the agency’s operation and development over the last several years,” Panos said.

“With his deep engineering and agency knowledge and management expertise, Gregg is the natural choice to lead these critical functions and empower our employees to drive our agency forward.”

As chief engineer, Fredrick Fredrick will oversee all the planning, design, construction and maintenance activities associated with the state’s transportation system in WYDOT’s five districts, as well as the department’s financial, computer and telecommunications functions.

“I’m excited to build upon an already strong foundation, and it is an honor to work with a highly committed group of men and women to proactively address the challenges and changing demands associated with tomorrow’s transportation agency,” he said.

Fredrick has worked for the department for 30 years, the last five as the department’s assistant chief engineer for engineering and planning.

During that time, he was instrumental in the department’s transition to a highway construction program based on a costeffective, systematic approach to maintain and upgrade the highway system, considering its current and projected future conditions.

Under his leadership, a majority of the highway construction project contracts have been put out for bids in the first two quarters of the fiscal year, and the engineering staff has completed designs for a year’s worth of projects now ready for bidding and construction.

The Cheyenne native and Central High School graduate began his career at WYDOT’s predecessor agency, the Wyoming Highway Department, in 1980. After State Bridge Engineer Charlie Wilson spoke to Fredrick’s calculus class at Central, the high school junior started with the Bridge Program as a temporary employee working after school, during Christmas vacations and summers.

by Dave Kingham

Gregg Fredrick saying a few words about his peers Del McOmie (center) and John Cox on Oct. 9 at their farewell ceremony.

A condensed comparison of non-supervisor and supervisor responses to 2015 WHP Employee Survey questions

Non-supervisor Supervisor

I know what is expected of me at work.

Agree 79.8%

Agree 88.1%

I can see a connection between my day-to-day duties and the overall goals of my work group.

71.8%

85.7%

I have a good understanding of the overall goals of WHP.

67.2%

73.8%

I feel free in talking with my immediate supervisor about job-related issues.

71.9%

90.5%

I believe that the work I do is important.

89.1%

90.5%

I get satisfaction from the work that I do.

79.5%

83.3%

I have the resources I need to do my job well.

48.6%

56.1%

I am able to gain cooperation from other work groups when I need it.

61%

73.8%

The employees in my work group cooperate with each other to get the job done.

63.5%

92.9%

My work group is open to new and better ways of doing things.

46%

69%

My supervisor holds other employees in my work group accountable for what they are supposed to do.

54.9%

80.5%

My supervisor holds me accountable for what I am supposed to do.

83%

97.6%

My supervisor acknowledges it when I do good work.

62.7%

78.6%

My supervisor and I have talked about ways I can develop in my career.

55.9%

61.9%

My supervisor keeps me informed about matters that affect my work.

62.7%

78.6%

WHP has a good reputation throughout the state.

40.2%

78.6%

Would you recommend WHP as a good place to work?

60.2% Yes

92.7% Yes

64.6%

80.7%

Average Rating:

WHP Employee Satisfaction Survey results

by Carlie Van Winkle This past August, all WHP employees were requested to complete an email survey at their earliest convenience to determine how well the Patrol is doing internally as an organization. The survey, titled 2015 WHP Employee Survey, included 17 questions which were designed to assess the satisfaction of both sworn and civilian employees. Positive feedback was gleaned from the 226 surveys that were returned.

This year’s survey yielded a 67 percent response rate (up from 66 percent in 2013) and an overall average favorable response score of 67 percent, up 2 percent from the last WHP-wide survey.

9% According to Mel Anderson, with the Strategic Performance Improvement Program 1.4% (SPI), questions from the 2013 WHP survey had been changed or modified and new questions were added to round out the new survey. The revised survey included 10 new questions, which included an open-ended question, seven slightly revised questions and one original question from the 2013 survey. New material included questions relating to work group and supervisor interactions. The rating scale of the survey also changed from a five-point to a three-point rating scale of agree, neutral or disagree. The 89.6% previous survey had a five-point rating scale – strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree.

“We were extremely glad to see the results on the question, ‘Would you recommend WHP as a good place to work?’ at 65 perI believe the work cent favorable,” Anderson said. “That was I do is important. up from 49 percent in 2013, which is huge.

Agree Definitely glad to see that.”

Neutral 9% “By and large, most people who get into Disagree law enforcement as a career want to serve 1.4% the public and help people,” said WHP Field Operations Commander Maj. Keith Groeneweg. “As troopers, we are sworn to serve and protect the people of Wyoming. The question, ‘I believe the work I do is important’ is rated with such a high percentage 89.6% because that’s our passion.”

This year’s survey shows increases in vital areas with decreases in others. The question having the smallest difference between supervisors and non-supervisors is, “I believe I believe the work I dofavorable is important. the work I do is important.” This question rated 90 percent compared to the 86 percent favorable response it garnered in 2013. The question thatAgree had the greatest drop in percentage was, “I have the resources I need to do my job well.Neutral ” That question went Disagree from 63 percent in 2013 to 49 percent in 2015.

“It’s difficult to be proactive in our jobs and do them well when vacancies cause a burden on our troopers” said Groeneweg. “We currently have 28 prospective candidates undergoing background checks. We hope to hire them soon and resolve some of the burden of having 34 vacancies. The same can be said of our Port of Entry and Dispatch vacancies. We are also working very diligently to correct the issues with our current CADD and Records Management Systems. When the technology is not working like is should, it causes redundancies in reporting.”

The question, “My supervisor holds me accountable for what I am supposed to do,” was rated highest of all among supervisors and non-supervisors alike. This, being a new question, it does not have a 2013 comparison, but the number is a strong 86 percent.

The SPI Program is grateful to those who submitted feedback on one or more subject, as that effort helps the WHP continue to be a great place to work.

A comparison of the 2015 to the 2013 survey results, as well as a summary of the 2015 comments can be found on the WYDOT website under the Strategic Performance tab. n November 2015

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TechNotes Moving Files & Folders to Google Drive Easily move files from the X: drive to your Google Drive.

Google Drive can be found by clicking on the 9-square icon in the top right of your Google Mail window.

Once the 9-square icon opens the panel, select “Drive.”

Google Drive will open and will, by default, show all that is in “My Drive.”

Once a file upload has started, the following window will appear in the lower right corner of your browser.

A scrolling progress bar shows the status of the upload.

Interchange

Successfully moving files and folders from the network X: drive to Drive will allow you to delete those files from the WYDOT network servers.

To delete, go to the X: drive, select the files or folder just moved, right click on it and select delete.

Those files will be deleted immediately.

If you would like additional information about using Drive please visit: http://learn.googleapps.com/products/drive/#/list

DOT publication

PAO_cvw 10/14/15

12

You can also click and drag the folder you are moving and hover it over the empty folder. The blue icon below will appear.

Specifically, locate the folder on the X: drive you would like to move.

Either click and drag it to your Drive window, or click the “New” button and select “File Upload.”

Navigate to the file you would like uploaded.

After the selected files have been uploaded, “Uploaded” appears where the progress bar was.

The folder and files are now available for access within Drive.

a

Create and name a new folder by clicking on the “New” button.

While in the new folder, click again on the “New” button and select “File Upload.”

n

November 2015

Training GROW On The GO

by Todd DePorter, Training Services How much is your time worth? I value my time and try to make the best of my waking hours, regardless of my predicament.

If you’re like me, you experience that grim feeling as you go to a doctor’s appointment and are mercilessly held captive in the purgatory atmosphere of an unwelcoming waiting area. In many visits, I’m often told it will be another 15 painstaking minutes before the doctor can see me after I check in. As I search and ultimately find a chair to relax in, I will quickly pull out my smart phone and find a way to electronically occupy myself.

How I decide to use this time might not make an immediate impact on my personal growth and improvement now, but combined with the other waiting times I experience, it will have a profound and positive impact. According to an August 19, 2012 New York Times article, “Why Waiting in Line is Torture,” Americans spend roughly 37 billion hours each year waiting in line (not to mention waiting for appointments). Some additional studies have also estimated we spend over 10,000 hours surfing the net in our lifetime. What if you take just a fraction of that time and use it to grow both personally and professionally? Now you can with the continued reach of technology and ease of access to information with mobile learning. Mobile learning isn’t new, it has been a reality for over half a decade, but more than ever it’s easy to “Grow on the Go.” Your opportunities to “Grow on the Go” have grown significantly with the introduction of smart devices, such as a smart phone or tablet. When you use these devices you can gain access to the same SkillSoft® learning suite you have from your com-

puter through the WYDOT e-Learning Library (WeLL).

There are now three easy and simple ways to access the WeLL’s SkillSoft® content on the go.

1. Use your smart device Web browser to navigate to https:// wydot-training.skillport.com/skillportfe/login.action and log in using your WeLL username and password.

2. Download the new SkillSoft® App from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Open the app and log in with your WeLL username and password. (Note: Not all of the SkillSoft® content is accessible via the app yet.)

3. Using your smart device’s QR or bar code reader (you may have to download the app if you don’t have it), scan the QR block here and log in with your WeLL user name and password.

Next time you are stuck in a doctor’s waiting room or any time you want, just grab your smart device and catch up on a course or video in the WeLL. Take the opportunity and begin “Growing on the Go.”

Quarterly Learning Themes

This quarter’s highlights include Influencing Others, as well as Taking Control of Your Professional Development, and Giving and Receiving Feedback. All of these assets have already been loaded into your personal learning plans in the WeLL. I look forward to reviewing and completing some of the material with you over the next couple of months. n Check out these upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U, the Transportation Learning Network (TLN) and WeLL.

Here in November: Date Class 11/2/15 ATSSA Traffic Control Technician 11/2/15 New Employee Orientation 11/16/15 Implementation of Low Temperature Tests for Asphalt Mixtures 11/18/15 Time Management for Managers: Focus on Purpose 11/19/15 We’ve Got to Start Meeting Like This!

How to Run a Productive Meeting WYDOT-U Coming in December: Date Class 12/8/15 New Supervisors Orientation 12/9/15 Math for Survey and Construction 12/16/15 MBTI & Teams 12/17/15 Building Teams Through Problem Solving

PMI Competency Vocational Communication Vocational Personal Effectiveness

Location TLN WYDOT-U Webinar WYDOT-U

Personal Effectiveness

PMI Competency Leadership Vocational Developing Others Judgment & Decision Making

Location WYDOT-U TLN WYDOT-U WYDOT-U

Learning at the WeLL November’s highlights:

Check out this quarter’s themes of “Taking Control of Your Professional Development,” “Influencing Others,” and “Giving and Receiving Feedback.”

Courses have been loaded into your Learning Plan!

To register, or to find out more details, call the Training Program and talk to Jim Boyd (777-4791), Kurt Borgaard (777-4792) or Todd DePorter (777-4790).

November 2015

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District News

District 1

Welcome

Headquarters

Welcome Kathleen Anderson, Financial Services-Disbursements; Brandon Cook, Facilities Management-Custodial; Margaret Knight, Driver Services-Policy and Records; Jean Little, Driver ServicesCDL.

Promotions and Transfers Robert Armstrong, Highway Development-Photogrammetry/Survey; Amy Lambert, Right Of Way-Engineering; Emiliano Martinez, Materials-Design, Soil and Service; Charles Rollins, Bridge-Engineering Design; and Ryan Steinbrenner, Materials-Design, Soil and Service.

Armstrong

Maria Laborde, Internal Review – 15 years; Donald Legerski, Geology-Drillers – 15 years; and Tiffanie Young, Patrol-Support Services Operations – 15 years.

Retirements

Steinbrenner

Promotions and Transfers Mack Miller, Laramie Maintenance.

Service Awards

Hammer

Michael Cowley, Cheyenne Construction – 40 years; Richard Christopherson, Elk Mountain Mechanics – 25 years; and Anthony Spencer, Cheyenne TrafficStriping – 15 years.

Thomas Hammer, retires from the Bridge Program with 26 years of service; and John Mahoney retires from the Planning Program with 27 years of service.

Congratulations Kevin Lebeda was selected as the Right of Way Program Manager. Lebeda replaces Michael J. Miller, and assumed his duties Oct. 1.

Cradle Call Lambert

Matthew Dischner, Rawlins Maintenance; and John Rimmer, Saratoga Maintenance.

Retirements

Miller

Christopherson

Lance Adams retires after 31 years of service to the state. Adams began his career with WYDOT in Arlington as a Tech 4, but soon moved into other positions including a district hot plant heavy equipment operator and an Elk Mountain heavy equipment operator. Adams retired as crew leader at the Medicine Bow Maintenance shop, a position held since 2006.

Lebeda

Headquarters employees Robin and Troy Grandpre welcomed their first daughter, Sydney Ann, at 8:58 a.m. on Oct. 1. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 19 inches.

Service Awards

Photo: Robin Grandpre

Photo: WYDOT

William Bailey, Bridge-Hydraulics – 40 years; Ashley Powell, Driver Services-CDL – 40 years; Hans Hehr, Procurement ServicesBuying – 35 years; Kevin Stogsdill, Highway Development-Project Development – 25 years; Duwane Floy, Construction Staff – 20 years;

Grandpre

Laborde

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Young

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November 2015

Lance Adams receiving his 31-year service award from District Engineer Pat Persson prior to his retirement in September.

District 2

Welcome

Retirements

Stephen David, Chugwater Maintenance; Joshua Pierce, Chugwater Maintenance; and Russell Warner, Chugwater Maintenance.

Chugwater Maintenance Specialist Charles Metcalf retires from WYDOT with more than 26 years of service.

Kathy Solomon Metcalf with Douglas Maintenance retires with 29.5 years of service to the state.

Service Awards Danny Hobbs, Casper Maintenance – 35 years; and Scott Elliott, Douglas Mechanics – 10 years.

Brooke Allen, District 2 project engineer, welcomed the newest addition to her family as Konen Arthur Allen was born Oct. 7. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Konen joins Brooke, dad, Nate, and sister, Aria.

Photo: Brooke Allen

Hobbs

Cradle Call

District 3

Photo courtesy of Keri Jenkins

Photo courtesy of Terry Uhrich

Welcome

Scott Elliott celebrated his 10-year service anniversary last month.

Kathy Solomon received a warm sendoff for her retirement which included a cake complete with the sentiment of “Congratulations Kathy. Lefty has left the building.” Clearly, an inside joke.

Dan Egan, Patrick Draw Maintenance.

Promotions and Transfers Ronald Pizzie, District 3 TrafficSigning.

Service Awards Bert Erickson, Afton Maintenance – 10 years. n

District 4

Promotions and Transfers

Retirements

Chad Greene, Buffalo Construction; Erik Jorgensen, Sheridan Patrol; Paul Miller, Sheridan Traffic-Striping.

George Wood of the Newcastle Maintenance shop retires from the state with 19 years of service.

Lt. Casey Goodman of Sheridan concluded Wood a 30-year career with the Wyoming Highway Patrol when he retired on Oct. 2.

Goodman was commissioned as a patrolman on Sept. 1, 1985, and was initially assigned to Big Piney.

The following year, he Goodman transferred to Sheridan as a motor carrier officer, and in 1991 he moved to Division C, composed of Johnson and Sheridan counties.

Goodman was promoted to Division G sergeant in Worland in 1998, and the

Service Awards Steven Gray, Sheridan Traffic-Striping – 10 years; and Charity Keierleber, Newcastle/Sundance Driver Services – 10 years; and Michael Prentice, Gillette Maintenance – 5 years.

Gray

Prentice

following year, his rank was boosted to lieutenant. He moved back to Sheridan as Division C lieutenant three years later.

Goodman is a native of Sheridan, and a graduate of Sheridan High School. Prior to joining the Patrol, he worked as a carpenter and service station manager.

In a mid-October news release announcing Goodman’s retirement, Patrol Sgt. Dave Wagener recounted an incident which began with Goodman stopping the driver of a pickup truck for speeding.

In the process of writing out a citation, Goodman, making conversation, inquired how the driver was doing. The driver broke down and asked if Goodman wanted to know the truth, to which Goodman replied, “OK?” The driver then admitted he had just stolen the truck in Casper.

Goodman stated, “Well, you’re under arrest then,” to which the driver responded, “OK, I kind of figured that.”

The vacancy created by Goodman’s retirement was filled by new Lt. Erik Jorgensen. n November 2015

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District 5

Service Award Recipients

Welcome Michael Devries, Thermopolis Mechanics.

Service Awards Fleming

Photo: Rick Carpenter

Jason Fleming, Lovell Maintenance – 10 years. n

Awards

Service award luncheons are held by the Transportation Commission for employees celebrating milestones of 25 years of service or greater.

Service award recipients at this month’s luncheon: (from left) Hans Hehr, Mark Falk, Kevin Stogsdill and Ashley Powell.

Roadmasters win another statewide speech contest

by Brian Rentner A member of the Roadmasters Toastmasters Club has captured another statewide title. On Oct. 3, Mike Hand competed against other Wyoming Toastmasters and came away with the first place trophy in the Speech Evaluation contest. Sherman Wiseman, another Roadmasters member, placed second in the same contest.

“I enjoy listening to and being evaluated by Mike. He listens well, he is insightful and always provides concrete, useable suggestions that I can put to work immediately,” said Janice Haldi, president of Roadmasters. “It didn’t surprise me he was the best in the state.”

Hand earned the right to compete against five other competitors from Colorado on Nov. 14, in Denver.

“The fact that so many of the statewide winners come from such a small club says a lot about the quality of members here,” Haldi added.

If you want to improve your communication and leadership skills with the outstanding members of the Roadmasters Toastmasters Club, you are welcome to join. Meetings are every Monday at noon in the WYDOT U classroom on the second floor of the Planning building.

Please contact Brian Rentner at 777-4048 for more information. n

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November 2015

Safety ads earn AASHTO awards

by Dave Kingham WYDOT-produced safety ads were honored with two national awards from the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials Subcommittee on Transportation Communications.

Video Producer Matt Groth’s baseball-themed “Make it Home Safe” seat-belt ad was named best TV commercial or public service announcement produced without a consultant, and his “Frozen Time” anti-drunken driving ad received honorable mention for TV ads produced with a consultant.

The “Make it Home Safe” ad featured an announcer calling the play-by-play as members of a Little League baseball team buckled up for the ride home after the game. It was part of WYDOT’s spring 2015 seat-belt campaign.

The “Frozen Time” spot depicted the victim of a drunken driving crash that killed his family confronting the drunken driver in the instant before the crash. It was produced for the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving’s summer 2014 campaign, and continued to run this year.

The awards were announced at the Transcomm annual meeting in Annapolis, Md., in September. n

Noteworthy

Photo courtesy of Jeff Goetz

12th Annual Breaking the Silence walk

Shafer was joined by his wife, Brenda, daughter, Autumn, and grandchildren Jadin and Ardin. A third grandchild, Kaylee, is not pictured.

by Jeff Goetz, District 2 Public Involvement Specialist On Sept. 19, WYDOT District 2 District Maintenance Technician Wes Shafer and his family joined others in the Casper area in bringing attention to the sad reality of suicide amongst our residents.

Shafer was joined by his wife, Brenda, daughter, Autumn, and grandchildren, Jadin, Ardin and Kaylee. Also walking with them were daughter Ambra and her husband, Tim Cortez, and their daughters, Kaiya and Kinzlee.

Brenda had T-shirts printed which the family wore honoring the memory of Cal Smith, Shafer’s son-in-law, who was lost to suicide on July 31.

The 12th Annual Breaking the Silence Suicide Prevention Walk is hosted by the Natrona County Suicide Prevention Task Force. n

by Sgt. David Wagener One of the many goals of the Wyoming Highway Patrol Association (WHPA) is to direct economic efforts toward charitable organizations and individuals who meet a select criteria. When WHP Trooper Kyle McKay learned of Cheyenne Central High School student Ben Lucas’ battle against cancer, he knew he and the association could show their support to Ben. After doing some research, McKay and the entire Cheyenne Trooper Division were able to set up a monetary WHPA donation for Ben to use as he sees fit as he stays strong in his fight with cancer. At the Oct. 9 halftime of the Sheridan vs. Central football game, troopers from the Cheyenne Division were able to recognize Ben and presented him with a check to help assist him and his family through this difficult time.

Please join us in support of Ben and his family as he continues his fight! n

Photo: WHP

WHPA helps Cheyenne Central High School student and family

At the WHPA presentation to the Lucas family at the halftime of the Central vs. Sheridan football game Oct. 9. From left: Trp. Robert King, Trp. Tyler Matheney, Carrie Lucas, Lauren Lucas, Chris Lucas, Ben Lucas, Trp. Kyle McKay and Trp. Ty Cross.

Get smart!

AVOID THE

DUI LIFE

Download and use the free Drive Sober Wyoming smartphone app. drivesoberwy.com November 2015

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Passings Jim Armstrong

Gary Nelson

WYDOT employee David Burnell, 54, died Oct. 17.

Burnell was approaching his two year anniversary with WYDOT working on the Baggs Maintenance crew.

Burnell enjoyed the outdoors. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, and creating things with his hands. His home was decorated Burnell with Native American art, most of which he made himself. Burnell made a priority of spending time with his friends and family. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy.

A celebration of life was held on Oct. 21 in Baggs and a memorial service was held in Grand Junction, Colo., on Oct. 23.

Former WYDOT employee Gary Nelson, of Fort Collins, Colo., died Oct. 22, two days short of his 31st birthday. He had battled neuroendocrine cancer for more than a year.

Nelson worked in the mailroom at Cheyenne headquarters from May 2007 until March 2013.

He was born in Mountain Home, Idaho, and was a gradu- Nelson ate of Cheyenne East High School. He also attended Laramie County Community College.

Funeral services were conducted Oct. 27 in Fort Collins. n

Extra Mile

AWARDS Congratulations to our September recipients!

WYDOT salutes the following Director’s Extra Mile Award recipients.

The award is presented to individuals who have traveled the “extra mile” in service to WYDOT.

le Afte yc

r

ading!

Re

ease Re c Pl

Retired WHP Trooper Jim Armstrong died Oct. 8 in Glenrock. He was 66.

Armstrong joined the Highway Patrol in 1978, receiving his commission on Aug. 25 of that year. He was assigned to Glenrock, where Armstrong he remained for the duration of his WHP career. He retired June 13, 2002.

Armstrong was born in New York state and graduated from high school in Rapid City, S.D. He subsequently attended the University of Wyoming, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and natural sciences.

Prior to joining the Highway Patrol, he was a police officer in Glenrock, and after his WHP retirement, he worked for the Converse County Sheriff ’s Office.

Armstrong served on the Glenrock school board, was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Christ Episcopal Church in Glenrock.

Funeral services were conducted Oct. 12 in Glenrock.

He was preceded in death by his older brother Frank “Tad” Armstrong, who also served on the Patrol (between 1976 and 1987) and later worked in the Cheyenne, Lusk and Sheridan ports-of-entry.

David Burnell

Jason Green Rich Hall Mike Kuzara Trenton Rawlinson Janet Vosler For more information about the Extra Mile Award or to nominate someone, contact Janet Farrar at janet.farrar@wyo.gov or Mel Anderson at mel.anderson@wyo.gov.

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November 2015

Get those photos in!

WTDEA

2015 Annual Chili Cookoff champion After a great turnout and a total of 13 chili recipes to taste, the voters chose Sgt. Duane Ellis as this year’s cook-off champion. Congratulations, Duane!

The other winner of the day was Janet Vossler who took home $132.50 from the

WyHy donates $2,500 to Employee Relief Fund

Rides

submission deadline:

11/13/15

carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov

s

S tate E mployee

SERG

up

Retirement Gro

Gather with other state retirees monthly.

SERG meets at noon the second Monday of each month at the Cheyenne Holiday Inn. The gatherings include a brief business meeting, social luncheon and an educational program.

Contacts for further information:

Roger Nelson – 634-1881 Ron Labreque – 632-8240 Donella Marrs – 635-5858

50/50 raffle.

This years fundraiser will contribute $633.50 to the Employee Relief Fund.

Heaps of thanks to the everyone who attended this year.

Many thanks are also due to the 13 cooks, all of the members of the WTDEA State Board, the Payroll Office, and the numerous volunteers who helped prepare and run the cook-off. n unexpected expenses due to floods, fires, vehicle crashes and deaths.

The fund has received 16 requests from department employees so far this year, and provided $12,000 in assistance, WTDEA Treasurer Janet Vossler said.

The fund has assisted an average of 20 employees annually during each of the past three years.

To request assistance an employee must complete a relief fund form available on the WTDEA page of the WYDOT employees website and send it to Sorensen or Vossler.

Applications can be made anytime during the year, but employees are limited to receiving assistance once a year.

WyHy started 69 years ago with seven Wyoming Highway Department employees as members, and now serves 13,000 people around the state. n

WyHy Federal Credit Union contributed $2,500 to the WYDOT Employee Relief Fund on Oct. 7, the third year it has done so under the partnership that allows it to issue credit cards carrying the WYDOT and Wyoming Highway Patrol logos.

WyHy President Bill Willingham presented the check to Director John Cox and Ryan Sorenson, state board president of the Wyoming Transportation Department Employees Association.

“We’re happy to do it,” Willingham said of the donation. “If it wasn’t for WYDOT we wouldn’t be here. WYDOT is a big part of who we are and what we do at WYHY.” The credit union has pledged to donate $5 to the Employee Relief Fund for every credit card issued with the WYDOT or WHP logo, or a minimum of $2,500.

All active WYDOT employees are eligible for crisis assistance from the relief fund.

They can receive assistance payments of up to $1,000 for uses WyHy Federal Credit Union President Bill Willingham presented a check for $2,500 to the WTDEA Employee Relief Fund. (From left) Director John Cox, such as health Ryan Sorenson, WTDEA state board president, Willingham and Doug McGee, care costs or chairman of the WyHy board of directors.

November 2015

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Photo: WYDOT

Classic? Hot rod?

Late model?

Two wheeler?

Retirees and their guests are invited to the

Thursday, December 11 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Cheyenne Airport Golf Club Bring a potluck dish to share (don’t forget the serving utensil!)

Meat, place settings, coffee, tea and iced water will be provided. Cash bar available.

Please RSVP prior to December 9: Rick Eccli - 634-3231; John Lane - 638-6348; Pat Collins - 635-2344; Pam Hendricks - 632-9151; or Ron Kisicki - 632-8413 20

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November 2015

2015 WYDOT Christmas Party Saturday, December 5 Holiday Inn on Fox Farm 5:30 - 6:30 pm Cocktail Hour 6:30 pm Buffet Style Meal Entertainment Provided

by Dance All Nite DJ XS Take the Elevator Home for $75

Prizes Free Ticket(s) for Wine & Beer Cash Bar

TICKETS WTDEA members $25 each (with 1 guest age 18 and up)

Non-members - $30 each

See your WTDEA Representative for tickets today!

November 2015

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A FREE checking account that pays YOU?!

We’re with you.

No matter how you spend your money, WyHy’s SmartReturns Checking pays you back. ®

rewards up to

2.25

% APY*

on balances up to $15,000

> FREE checking with no minimum balance > UNLIMITED ATM refunds* > EASY to switch WyHy.org 800.442.2392 307.638.4200 Cheyenne • 307.234.2373 Casper *APY is Annual Percentage Yield. Minimum to open account is $25. 2.25% APY is valid on balances up to $15,000 and if account meets SmartReturns checking account requirements. Rates may change at any time per WyHy’s discretion. Visit the website for full details. Membership required. Federally insured by NCUA.

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November 2015

Break Time

Take five and find five differences in the images.

Check your answers online at: employees.dot.state.wy.us, or if not able to access the employee site: www.dot.state. wy.us/home/engineering_technical_programs/manuals_ publications/interchange.html.

Interchange subscription issue? Update your address:

1) Complete and return this slip to WYDOT Public Affairs Office, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009, or 2) E-mail Carlie Van Winkle at carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov.

Add me to the mailing list

Retiree Employee

Change my address

Remove this address; person no longer lives here or is deceased.

Name change, I am a family member of a deceased employee, but I would like to continue receiving Interchange.

Name Current address City, State, Zip Previous address City, State, Zip

November 2015

n

Interchange

23

Interchange

Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Blvd.

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-3340

Pre-sorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Cheyenne, WY 82009 Permit No. 24

Address Service Requested

HANG UP. BUCKLE UP. HEADS UP.

DRIVE NOW. TEXT LATER.