#IAMKDOT: Larry Kjellberg

This month’s #IAMKDOT is Larry Kjellberg, a Highway Maintenance Supervisor for the Ness City Subarea. 

Kjellberg began his career at KDOT as a temporary employee during the summer of 1980.  He returned to KDOT in as an Equipment Operator I in 1981.  He was promoted to Equipment Operator II in September 1985, Equipment Operator Senior in 2003, Equipment Operator Specialist in 2010 and was promoted to Highway Maintenance Supervisor for the Ness City Subarea last year. 

With more than 35 years of experience, Kjellberg has many memorable moments with KDOT, but says his favorite part of the job is the winter snow plow season because that’s when he really gets to help people – and help he has. 

He’s helped stranded motorists change tires and located and returned a lost cell phone.  He’s helped in several life-saving efforts to transport patients to hospitals during blizzards. Kjellberg earned a KDOT Orange Hero award for his efforts.

When a patient from the Tribune/Leoti area needed to be transferred to Hays, Kjellberg met the ambulance at the county line and plowed the way for them to the Rush County line where the next snow plow driver waited to escort the ambulance on to Ellis County.  Not too long after, Kjellberg got the call again.  The Ness City hospital needed help transferring a patient to Hays during a snow storm.  Kjellberg met the ambulance again and led the way to the Rush County Line where the LaCrosse team took over.

Kjellberg and his wife Wendi have four kids, Amber (Dighton), Becca (Kinsley) Chelsey (Dighton) and Lucas (Ness City) and five grandkids.  When not at work, Kjellberg enjoys spending time with his children and grandkids, but especially enjoys fishing with his grandkids, and hunting and trapping with his son, Lucas.  Those close to him would say that he is a trustworthy, honest and sincere role model.

Halloween safety tips

Tomorrow, candy will flow and trick-or-treaters across the country will take to the streets to collect the sugary goodness. Here are some safety tips to ensure everyone has a frightfully good time.

Drivers:

• Turn on your headlights to improve visibility - Even in the day time.
• Watch for trick-or-treaters on curbs, streets and medians. They could be wearing darker costumes so keep your eyes peeled.
• Slow down in residential areas.  Give yourself extra time to react should a trick-or-treater dash into the road.
• Be sure to scan both sides of the street as you drive. Be prepared  to stop for trick-or-treaters.

Trick or Treaters:

 If you are young at heart and will be taking to the streets to collect some goodies, there are a few things you need to know:

• Let your parents or guardians know where you will be going. Create a route and stick to it. 
• Follow safety rules, and look both ways before crossing the streets. Don’t cross between vehicles.
• Trick or treat in a group. It can be more entertaining and safer. Younger children should be with a responsible adult or youth.
• Be bright at night - ensure that that your costume can be seen by drivers. Enhance your costumes with reflective tape or glow sticks.
• You should be able to see without difficulty. Don’t wear bulky masks or head gear. Consider using non-toxic face make up or paint.
• Carry a flashlight inside your Halloween bucket or bag so you can see where you are going. DON’T shine it into the eyes of drivers.
• Stay on sidewalks - if you must walk in the street, walk on the left side, facing traffic.

We hope you have a happy Halloween! 

Stay alert: Deer are on the move

Deer activity on and near Kansas' roadways poses a seasonal traffic hazard. Because deer-breeding season runs from October and into December, law enforcement officers routinely investigate a large number of vehicle-deer crashes this time of year. The Kansas Highway Patrol advises all motorists to be aware of this potential danger and to use extra caution. The following defensive driving techniques could ensure your safety this fall and winter:

• Stay alert, pay more attention to the road and roadside, and intentionally look for deer. Be especially alert at dawn and dusk, the peak movement times for deer and when visibility is low.
• Slow down at deer-crossing signs, which are posted where deer-vehicle collisions have repeatedly occurred, and near woods, parks, golf courses, and streams or creeks. At a reduced speed, you have a better chance of avoiding a deer.
• Deer usually travel in groups. When one deer crosses the road, there may be others about to cross. Slow down and watch for others to dart into the road.
• Slow down when approaching deer standing near roadsides. They have a tendency to bolt, possibly onto the roadway. Use emergency flashers to warn oncoming drivers after you see deer near a roadway.
• Always wear your seat belt. Statistics show that most people injured or killed in deer-related collisions were not wearing seat belts.
• The most serious crashes occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles trying to avoid an animal. Do not take unsafe evasive actions. It is usually safer to strike the deer than another object such as a tree or another vehicle.
• Motorcyclists need to be especially careful; fatality rates are higher in deer-motorcycle accidents than in deer-car crashes.
• If you hit a deer, pull over onto the shoulder, turn on your emergency flashers, and watch for traffic before exiting your vehicle. Do not try to remove a deer from the roadway unless you are sure it is dead; an injured deer could hurt you. If you have a cellular phone, dial *47 (*HP) for the nearest Highway Patrol dispatcher or *KTA for assistance on the Kansas Turnpike.
• Anyone involved in a vehicle-deer crash that results in personal injury or property damage that totals $1,000 or more is required to immediately report the crash to the nearest law enforcement agency. Failure to report any traffic crash is a misdemeanor and may result in suspension of driving privileges.

Last year we wrote an award-winning illustrated story about how to increase safety during this time of year you can read that here:

KDOT creates new Twitter page to spread the word about job openings for engineers

The Kansas Department of Transportation is a great place to work and has open positions waiting for you. We want you to know all about it!

KDOT has recently launched a new Twitter page designed to list information about job vacancies.

Alex Colon, an Engineering Associate at KDOT’s headquarters in Topeka, said that he enjoys working at the agency because it feels like a family environment. “I like working for KDOT because of the people that I work with and the work I do,” Colon said. “It makes me feel good about coming into work every day. The work is fun, but challenging at the same time. I’m learning new things on a daily basis and I’m definitely enjoying my time here.”

Debbie Wallace, Engineer Recruiter for KDOT, also said that working for the agency has a family atmosphere. “KDOT means a lot to me because of all the people I have gotten to work with and how friendly everyone is,” Wallace said. “The support has been overwhelming to me in my 12 years here. Being the Engineering Recruiter I get to work with all of the universities in the Midwest and have met so many wonderful students. Some of these students I had the opportunity to recruit. I take pride in finding the right fit for this agency.“

CJ Garwood is also an Engineering Associate at headquarters in Topeka, and he said that KDOT is full of people who are eager to help him succeed.

“I appreciate that attitude and supportive environment,” Garwood said.

Leroy Koehn, a Professional Civil Engineer from the Kansas City Metro Area said that part of what makes KDOT a great place to work is the sense of teamwork and great communication.

"One of the things I’ve appreciated more and more as my time with KDOT lengthens is the willingness of our “family” to help each other out," Koehn said.  "If you’re facing a challenge you haven’t seen before, or if you want new perspective on a familiar and recurring problem, valuable and sincere feedback is usually just a phone call or email away.  I’ve found this to generally be true both up and down the org chart.  This wouldn’t happen so readily in the private sector where a greater inherent level of competitiveness tends to exist."

Bruce Haverkamp, Assistant to the Director of Engineering and Design, has been working at the agency for more than 30 years, and he said that his experience working for Kansas has been rewarding. “I’ve worked on design projects in every part of the state,” Haverkamp said. “The work environment has a true family feeling that makes work enjoyable. Designing a highway project takes a team and working with all of the different Divisions and Bureaus has been very rewarding.”

KDOT currently has more than a dozen engineering positions open. If you are interested in what positions may be right for you, or if you want to find out more information, follow us on the new Twitter page:

www.Twitter.com/KDOTrecruit

Poster winner donates prizes to kids in need

Austin Lamb, pictured in the center,  a regional winner in the Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day poster contest donates his prizes to school children in need. 

Normally when someone wins a prize, the winner keeps everything for themselves. For one youngster, winning means giving to others in need.

Austin Lamb, a statewide and regional winner of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Put the Brakes on Fatalities poster contest, takes an extra interest in participating each year.

His interest stems from when his dad was hit by a car while on duty as an Osage County Sheriff’s Office Deputy. Lamb witnessed the accident and now actively promotes traffic and law enforcement safety by entering this contest.

This is Lamb’s way of trying to make a difference at this age. His poster this year encourages drivers to pay attention when you see those in uniform helping stranded motorists.The various officers assisting communities across Kansas are keeping us safe  and Lamb wants everyone to keep officers safe as well.

Austin Lamb's winning design encourages drivers to pay attention when officers are assisting other motorists. 

For being a statewide and regional winner, Lamb won several prizes including:  A new bike, a bike helmet, a Kindle Fire Tablet and case, a $50 Amazon gift card and a $50 Wal-Mart card. 

This is the second year that Lamb was the regional poster contest winner and this year he is donating his bike from last year to a child in need.  Lamb also plans to donate the new Kindle Fire Tablet, tablet case, and Amazon gift card to his school. These gifts from Lamb will be raffled or auctioned off; and all proceeds will be used to purchase sports balls for elementary students to use for recess. 

Lamb would like to thank the group of people that attended his presentation:  His dad Richard, his mom Nancy, his sister Taylor, and his Grandma Beverly. He would also like to thank Lieutenant Dax Lewis of the Kansas Highway Patrol, Deputy Scott Brenner of the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Robert Brenner of the Osage County Sheriff’s Office and the Osage City Chief of Police Fred Nech. 

Throwback Thursday: How roads were made in 1887

Ever wonder how roads were made before modern machines? 

Let's go back 130 years in time to 1887. In this photo, we can see old paving steam rollers laying down new roads in Topeka. Back in this era the roads were made using cobblestone and bricks, beneath the larger rocks, there was a base layer using sand. In some towns across the state, we can still see evidence of those cobblestone streets. 

Our asphalt pacing processes have changed over the years from thick overlays to thinner ones. Today, road crews use paving machines to lay down road surfaces. In this photo, an asphalt paving machine is using a thin hot mix overlay. 

Preparing for winter weather: KDOT employees participate in snow-fighter training

Sunshine will soon be replaced by snow and when that happens, the Kansas Department of Transportation will be ready.

 In preparation for the upcoming snow and ice season, KDOT Equipment Operators from across northwest Kansas completed Snow-fighter Basic Training last week in Wakeeney.

KDOT Equipment Operators from across northwest Kansas took part in the snow-fighter training last week in Wakeeney. 

This is the fourth year the training has been held. Sessions were led by experienced KDOT operators and consisted of both classroom and hands-on activities. KDOT equipment operators learned about plowing procedures, chemical application, front and wing plow usage, spreader operations, towing safety, mechanic training and decision making. 

Earlier this month, crews in north central Kansas also participated in snow-fighter training. All new Equipment Operators, Equipment Mechanics and Engineering Technicians from the area received both classroom work and hands-on training. 

KDOT crews practice using maneuvering the snow plow earlier this month at the Salina Subarea.

So when the precipitation starts, your local KDOT operators will be on the job. No matter what the weather is doing, you can check out www.Kandrive.org for traffic and road information. 

KDOT crews underwent snow-fighter training earlier this month in north central Kansas.