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The Signal | Winter 2014–2015
Safer Roads Save Lives
MICHIGAN
Chapter
Nov. 3
—More than 50 people attended the meeting during a Grand
Re-opening—it was reactivated after several years of inactivity—at the
Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Horatio S. Earle
Learning Center. Called to order by Interim Chapter President Eydie Case
(MDI Traffic Control Products), other interim officers were announced,
including Thanh Nguyen (Area Wide Protective), vice president;
Chris Brookes (MDOT), secretary; and Jim Van Dam (NLB Corporation),
treasurer.
MDOT’s Chief Operations Officer Greg Johnson spoke about “Working
Hand-in-Hand to Improve Roadway Safety,” the MDOT’s commitment to
ATSSA and improving what MDOT delivers to the state. Johnson said good
ideas will eventually lead to driving deaths to zero and attendees should
ask themselves how to sustain innovative ideas. He is looking forward to
working with the chapter and noted these partnerships make a difference.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Michigan Division
Administrator Pat Muinch spoke about the new ATSSA/FMCSA partnership,
shared statistics on commercial vehicle crashes and encouraged everyone
to continue working closely as partners. He shared an alarming work zone
statistic that one in every four fatal crashes involves a large truck. About
17,000 citations were written to truckers who were texting or using a
handheld device while driving in 2013. On average, 12 people are killed by
trucks every day, and truckers log 283 billion miles a year.
Ted Burch, assistant division administrator, FHWA/Every Day Counts
(EDC) Program, explained the intent of deploying proven innovations
through the Michigan State Transportation Innovation Council (MI STIC)
and the EDC3 program. The council is working with various partners to
implement more innovative solutions in Michigan. ATSSA is looking to be
more active as a subset of the industry partners involved in the STIC and
will work through the Michigan Chapter to participate.
Nate Smith, ATSSA director of government relations, provided a report
about the state of highway funding, gas tax proposals, ideas for the future
and the current political landscape in Congress. Bob Felt, ATSSA associate
director of member services, presented a national update, shared The
Foundation’s “Meet Steve Morgan” video and concluded his report by
telling the group to stay passionate and help the chapter make a difference.
NEW ENGLAND
Chapter
Nov. 5
—Interim Chapter President Mike Allen (3M), called the meeting
to order at the historic Union Station (Central Massachusetts Regional
Planning Commission) in Worcester, Mass.
Matt Poirier, of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA),
shared information about truck safety initiatives and statistics, stating that
FMCSA is working to reduce fatalities in work zones. Bill Lambert, of the
New Hampshire DOT, presented info from the New England Traffic
Engineers Regional Meeting, including curve warning signs, credible
setting of speed limits, pedestrian signals, flashing yellow arrows and
wrong-way detection.
