Institute of Transportation Engineers
International Director Report

International Director: Stephen J. Manhart, P.E., PTOE, PTP
Date Submitted: March 17, 2008
District: Midwestern District (MWITE)

I. Issues or topics discussed at chapter, section and district board meetings that may need to have ITE Board and/or staff discussion/action (please list for each issue/topic—the chapter, section or district person to contact for further information):

a. Personal Employment Advertising in District and Section Newsletters – This subject came up in February. Illinois Section President Amarpal Matharu informed the District Board that he had received two requests from Illinois Section members to post personal ads for employment in the Illinois Section Newsletter, Items. He asked the District Board for direction on whether he should post these ads. After much deliberation among the Board, I asked the IBOD to share any experience their districts or sections had with posting personal ads for employment. Here were the responses I received:

i. Mid Colonial District (MASITE Section newsletter Editor Dean Kaiser) – This district publishes Section newsletters only. Corporate sponsorships offer unlimited “help wanted” ads plus “sponsor board” recognition. No personal employment ads via newsletter. Opinion that Board would not approve this, as person has not provided necessary sponsorship.
ii. Northeastern District (Director Lynn LaMunyon) – We haven’t run into this on the District level yet. I have copied Mayer Horn, the TransTalk Newsletter Editor (Met Section). He might have more information.
iii. Northeastern District (Met Section Newsletter Editor Mayer Horn) -- Our policy about employment ads is as follows:
· Companies can place employment ads at no cost if they are sponsors. Sponsorship costs $200 per calendar year. Sponsorship includes a business card ad in our newsletter with a hyperlink to the company's web site, inclusion of company announcements at no additional cost, employment ads on the section's web site, and listing on the section's web site as a sponsor.
· Government organizations can place employment ads in the newsletter and on the section's web site at no cost. This policy would probably apply to not-for-profit organizations, but I don't recall this having arisen.
· I would print personal employment ads of Met Section members at no charge.

iv. Texas District (Texas District website & newsletter editor Gary Thomas) – We post employment opportunities on the TexITE Web site at no charge. We currently accept/post personal ads from members. To be honest, never really thought about it. But I don’t think I’m opposed to it.
v. Western District (Director Randy McCourt) -- To my knowledge the Western District and its Sections/Chapters have never done the “I am looking for a job” thing. We post advertisements for agencies/firms looking to hire staff (at a cost) – but not the other way around.
vi. Florida District (Director Jeff Arey) – The Florida District (10) does not have personal ads in the newsletter.

In the end, the spring issue of Items was published with the two personal ads included (see Attachment A). I will keep the IBOD informed of this new service, and subsequent reaction from the membership. Thanks to all who participated in this information-gathering exercise!

b. Transportation Lobbying… Continued – Recently, we were asked to add ITE to the list of supporting organizations for the “Make Roads Safe” international campaign. MWITE supports such a move, but with the following comments.

· This action is somewhat similar to the effort that the North Central Section sought a few months ago when they considered becoming a sponsoring organization for "Vote Yes” campaign in Minnesota. At that time, NCITE has considered becoming a member of the Minnesota Transportation Alliance. The Alliance is a transportation lobbying group advocating for investments in the state’s transportation system. Last year, the Alliance was successful in leading a Minnesota resolution campaign to direct all Motor Vehicle Sales Tax monies to highway and transit funding. Many public and private agencies and organizations are Alliance member organizations, including the fifteen organizations I listed in my last Director’s Report.

· Earlier this year, the Minnesota Legislature had approved a transportation funding bill that had been vetoed by the Republican governor. The Democratic majority in the state legislature needed the votes of a few Republican legislators to help overturn the veto. In the weekend leading up to that fateful vote, I wrote letters to the editor of both major metro newspapers (See Attachment B), as well as letters to each of the legislators who had originally voted against the transportation bill, urging support to overturn the veto. Both newspapers ran the letter, and several legislators replied with their side of the story. In the end, six Republican representatives supported the bill, thus successfully helping to overturn the veto, providing the citizens of Minnesota with increased transportation funding to the tune of $6.6 billion over the next ten years.

Does ITE’s larger support of the “Make Roads Safe” campaign allow our districts, sections and chapters to support other efforts at a local scale? Are my letters to the editor and to state legislators fall within ITE’s Policies and By-Laws? As far as I know, these issues have yet to be resolved.

While the North Central Section’s immediate need to resolve this issue has passed, there will be other times when sections and districts will want to consider support for organizations and initiatives improving transportation. Do our actions set the precedents?


II. “New” topics and papers that you feel the other Board members and ITE Staff should be aware of that were presented at one of the chapter, section or district:

§ Wisconsin Section presentation -- University of Wisconsin-Madison Car Share Program“ ZipCar” – Contact ITE Wisconsin President Dave Jolicoeur for more information, djolicoeur@sewrpc.org

§ Illinois Section presentation – “Moving Beyond Congestion” by Ms. Leanne Redden, Chicago RTA (http://www.movingbeyondcongestion.org/ ) – Chicago’s RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace have joined together in a strategic planning process to develop a vision and strategy for the future of transit. The joint goal is to provide a region-wide consensus for convenient, affordable, reliable and safe transit expansion.

§ Illinois Section presentation – “O’Hare Expansion and Role of O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP)” by Rosemarie S. Andolino, Executive Director of Chicago’s OMP. The OMP, a $6.6 billion program in 2001 dollars, reconfigures O’Hare’s outdated intersecting runway system into a parallel runway configuration, substantially reducing delays and increasing capacity well into the future. The OMP also includes construction of a new terminal on the west side of the airport. The OMP will create up to 195,000 new jobs and $18 billion in economic activity to the region’s economy each year in addition to the 450,000 jobs and $38 billion O’Hare generates today.

§ North Central Section presentation – “Panel Discussion of HEAT (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) in Minnesota by Sue Groth of Mn/DOT, Mark Peterson of the Minnesota State Patrol, and John Bloomfield, Human Factors Researcher from the University of Minnesota. Presentation of the reduction in crashes along targeted highways within state.

§ North Central Section presentation – “Updated Access Management Tools and Real World Examples”, a panel discussion by David Plazak, Iowa Sate University’s Center for Traffic Research and Engineering (CTRE), Brian Gage from Mn/DOT, and Kristi Sebastian from Dakota County, MN. Mr. Gage provided an overview of Mn/DOT’s new Access Management Manual, while Mr. Plazak and Ms. Sebastian provided real-world examples of access management in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest.


III. Student Chapter or student-related innovative activities and/or products that the ITE Board and/or staff should be aware of:

§ The ITE student chapter at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) participated in Student Day at the school. The chapter and its student members collaborate with other UIC units like Urban Transportation Center (UTC). The Chapter aims to facilitate further exchange of latest information on a variety of scientific, professional, and educational issues related to transportation in collaboration with other UIC programs, faculty and staff who are committed to research in transportation.
§ NCITE and the Illinois Section hosted annual scholarship and awards presentations this year. Both sections had seen an increase in applicants – a welcome change from previous years.


IV. Unique programs or projects of the chapter, section or district:

a. Simulcasting ATSSA Webinar – NCITE promoted and co-sponsored the simulcast of a webinar on the FHWA’s new Sign Reflectivity Final Rule that was presented at ATSSA’s Annual Meeting in New Orleans. (NOTE -- This simulcast represented an opportunity for persons to learn from the presentation while not actually attending the conference. This “virtual conference attendance” is something ITE’s IBOD should consider as an alternative means of serving members who, by virtue of high travel costs, cannot attend our Technical Conference or Annual Meeting. The only issue would be webinar costs.)

VI. General Comments / Other Significant Issues to bring to the attention of the Board and HQ Staff:

a. Chicago District Meeting – The Illinois Section will be hosting the 2008 Midwestern District Meeting at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago, IL, on July 6-8, 2008. These dates provide opportunities for attendees to bring family to the event for the Taste of Chicago and July Fourth events nearby. It is estimated that the room rate will be $189/night plus tax.

Attachment A -- Excerpt of Spring Issue of ITEMS Newsletter

Attachment B -- Excerpt of Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Sunday, February 24, 2008, p. 9B

2008 Section Activities Award (Reminder)

MWITE Vice President John Davis reminds us that just about TWO WEEKS, the Section Activity Reports are due! This competition follows the International ITE procedures and format and the winner is the MWITE nominee to International.

See the District website at www.midwesternite.org for additional details, and please try not to include your NCAA tourney brackets in with your Section’s report.

Study: Traffic congestion is up in the Twin Cities metro
St. Paul Pioneer Press Article Last Updated: 03/14/2008 08:44:14 AM CDT

Traffic congestion in the metro area has increased for the first time in four years, according to a new study by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Last year, there were 305 miles of congested freeway in the Twin Cities area, compared with 267 miles previous year, 277 miles in 2004 and 280 miles in 2004. A "congested mile" is defined as a mile of traffic moving slower than 45 miles per hour.

Much of the increase traces back to the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in August, according the Metropolitan Freeway System 2007 Congestion Report. The bridge collapse sent traffic to Highway 280, Interstate 94, Interstate 694 and Interstate 35W as people searched for alternate routes.

Construction projects on busy interstates also contributed to the congestion, the report said.

The report can be found at :http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/08/03/14-congestion.html

Maintaining Professional Involvement In A Time of Economic Downturn
By Steve Manhart, MWITE International Director, from the MWITE Spring 2008 Newsletter

Whether or not our government wishes to face it, our economy is in a downturn. We may even be in a recession (…yikes, I said the “R” word). I will leave that for the economists and politicos to figure out.

Nevertheless, companies and agencies are facing economic struggles, tighter budgets and less discretionary funding. As a result, many companies and agencies have limited or totally restricted out-of-state travel, professional memberships, and outside organizational activities. Some companies and agencies are requiring that participation in professional organizations be on a member’s own time and on his or her own dime.

So how does one maintain professional involvement in this time of economic downturn? One may argue that if the employer does not pay for his or her membership, why stay involved? Worse yet, if one is laid off or between jobs, does it make sense to retain one’s professional organization memberships?

To answer these questions, one must decide whether the involvement is worth the investment of time and money. In a recent article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper (“The Benefits of Professional Organization Membership”, by Robert Elsenpeter, February 18, 2008), the business columnist outlined the top reasons that professional organizational membership is important:

· Personal and professional development resources
· Networking opportunities
· Professional certification that can help your career
· Service and support from the national organization
· Opportunities to develop one’s leadership skills
· Discounts on related products and services
· Regular organization conferences
· Member publications

I believe whole-heartedly that the Institute of Transportation Engineers is beneficial in each of these areas. Membership in ITE affords the transportation professional with opportunities for growth, networking, and technical resources. Personally throughout my career, I have benefitted from the networking and leadership opportunities within ITE – from the section level all the way to the international level. I would challenge anyone who is questioning the value of professional organization membership to review this list and tell me what he or she can forego and still sustain or grow his or her career.

Say that you are a member in several professional organizations. Each organization provides niche benefits and opportunities based on what interest or profession is being served. Why would one stay with ITE versus other organizations? Does ITE membership provide the personal or professional benefits that serve your needs?

Remember that ITE is the preeminent international organization for transportation professionals. Currently, ITE is working to increase its importance and relevance (therefore, its value) to the transportation professional. The ITE International Board of Direction is undertaking a strategic planning initiative this year. The purpose of this initiative is to tweak and adjust the organization to fit the ever-changing needs of its membership. Furthermore, the Board has created a high-level committee focused on improving Member Recruitment, Retention, and Reinstatement (the “Three Rs”). Another committee has been created to focus on Public Relations and Information Sharing. The output of these committees will increase the value and vitality to our membership. (More information will be presented in upcoming issues.)

On a district level, MWITE is working to become more valuable to our members is by providing personal advertisements for employment. This is a new service that we are initiating in this [upcoming] issue. While we have long posted employment ads from consultants and agencies, this is the first time we are providing our members the ability to place personal ads for employment. After checking with other districts, it appears MWITE is the first to be offering this service to its members – an important new benefit in this time of economic downturn.

So how does a member maximize his or her membership? In many ways, the resulting benefit a member receives is proportional to the investment of time and effort he or she may put into the organization. This may be a simple as attendance at a section meeting, or be as complex and time-consuming as committee involvement, presentation of a paper, or attendance at a district or international meeting.

The ITE International Meeting is our annual showcase of new projects, products, innovation and interaction among transportation professionals. Each member should try to attend this meeting at least once during his or her career. If cost or schedule prevents a member from attending the International Meeting, he or she should consider attending the District Annual Meeting. Though narrowed to a district focus, this meeting still provides members with many of the benefits of achieved at the international meeting. Section and chapter meetings, while still important, provide the narrowest scope of interaction and information sharing.

The current economic climate requires some tough choices to be made with one’s professional membership budget. ITE strives to remain the preeminent international organization for transportation professionals. The International Board of Direction is working to keep pace and stay vital with the changing transportation profession. As you deal with this time of challenge, weigh the importance of your professional organizational membership. Retain your membership and stay involved. No matter at what level, ITE will provide a good return on your investment.

Roundabout will get a sound out for Highway 2&13 intersection near Ashland, WI
News from 91.3-FM, KUWS Radio, Duluth, MN

People in the Ashland area aren’t sold on the use of a roundabout to reduce crashes at a dangerous intersection. Danielle Kaeding reports.

In one 10 year stretch from 1992 to 2002, there were 32 crashes at the intersection of Highway 2 and 13 near Ashland. That prompted a flashing sign to be erected. But for some people, that’s not enough for an intersection dubbed “the Bermuda Triangle”. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Northwest Director Don Gutkowski says they’re pushing for a roundabout intersection to improve safety but won’t force one on anybody. “What we’re doing right now is we actually hired a consultant who specializes in roundabouts and built a lot in the state. They’ve done a lot of public outreach on them in a lot of communities that were very resistant to them. So, they’re going to help us with the public involvement, and right now we’re in the process of negotiating the contract.”

Bayfield County UW-Extension Agent Tim Kane says that’s good because people want to know more. “We want to support the Department of Transportation to develop, not only looking at the roundabout but at a traffic signal possible solution. We encourage the department to hold some additional public information meetings on those alternatives and get further input from folks who live in the area.”

Some Chequamegon Bay residents expressed concern at the DOT meeting that Highway 2 is too busy for a roundabout. Gutkowski disagrees. “You’ll have some back up queuing that you have. That’s where you design for the roundabout or the signals that you have that you minimize the amount of queue that you have. That’s why there’s two lanes, three lanes, four lane roundabouts is that minimizes that. You get more free-flow through there.” The DOT chose a roundabout from ten alternatives to improve safety at the intersection of Highway 2 and 13.

U.S. 41 project may revive roundabout controversy in Howard, WI
Traffic at Woodale and Cardinal intolerable at times, official says
By Malavika Jagannathan mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com

HOWARD — A proposed roundabout at Woodale Avenue and Cardinal Lane that was rejected by local officials and residents in 2001 may resurface in 2011 to help traffic flow in that area.
Traffic at the intersection — currently a four-way stop — has become intolerable at times, causing backups and even a few pedestrian problems, said Howard's direct enforcement officer Jim Dagneau, who looked into the issue after hearing concerns.

About 12,100 vehicles go through the intersection each day, according to the Department of Transportation traffic reports. Traffic is heaviest after school lets out between 3 and 5 p.m. with Bay View Middle School on the northwest corner of the intersection. Trustee Burt McIntyre, who drives a school bus, said he has often witnessed the backups especially with school buses exiting and entering the school. "We knew this was going to be a problem in the future, but it's coming up sooner than we thought," Steven Dantoin, an engineer with the Brown County Highway Department, told the Village Board on Feb. 25.

Now, with the state's project to resurface and expand U.S. 41 slated to begin in 2011, Dantoin said Brown County would look at resurfacing Cardinal Lane from Glendale Avenue to Woodale at the same time and installing a roundabout at the Cardinal-Woodale intersection.
A roundabout would narrow the street, Dantoin said. It also would require some right-of-way purchases from neighboring properties. Nothing has been officially proposed or approved by the Village Board.

A roundabout was proposed in 2001 at that intersection but rejected after residents protested. A signal at the intersection would have cost too much, so the village retained the four-way stop.
At the time, signals would have cost $133,000 more to install than a roundabout at the same location — and the county would have subsidized the roundabout. If a roundabout is built in 2011, its cost would be split between the county and the village.

Since 2001, roundabouts have become a common sight in the county, including a two-lane roundabout that opened last year in De Pere, and they are the preferred intersection-controlling device of both the county and the state in reconstruction projects.

Plans for casino will have some Four Staters driving in circles
Posted by Jeff Stensland: March 13, 2008 06:57 PM CDT, KOAM-TV website, Pittsburg, KS

A new roundabout is planned to deal with a potential traffic danger. It would create a safer intersection by slowing traffic in a one lane circle. The intersection of US-400 and Highway 66, west of Riverton, Kansas has seen several serious and fatal accidents over the years.

Officials with the Kansas Department of Transportation says a roundabout is better than a signal in that traffic can always be moving, but at a slower pace. The already busy highway is expected to see more traffic with area growth, and the opening of a destination casino in the area.

County Commissioner Rodney Edmondson says the idea of a roundabout is new to the area, but it should greatly reduce accidents in the area. "I think there probably is some foresight in that area," Commissioner Edmondson says. "A roundabout will slow traffic down but keep it flowing. It will handle high volumes of traffic without stop-and-go traffic."

Work is expected to begin in early April, with a detour ready by July. The entire project could be finished as early as November. To learn more about roundabouts, a guide is provided by the Kansas Department of Transportation: http://www.ksdot.org/burTrafficEng/Roundabouts/roundabout.asp

Transportation Funding Success for Minnesota...

Last week, the Minnesota State Legislature overturned the veto from Governor Tim Pawlenty and approved $6.6 billion in transportation funding over the next 10 years. Six Republican legislators broke ranks with the minority party in the House of Representatives, and turned back the veto by just over the required two-thirds majority.

Last Chance to Enter...

The ITE Transportation Achievement Award is awarded annually for excellence in the advancement of transportation to meet human needs by entities concerned with transportation such as governmental agencies, legislative bodies, consulting firms, industry and other private sector organizations. The Transportation Consultants Council has endowed this award.

Awards are presented in the categories of operations, facilities and safety.

See the ITE website: http://www.ite.org/awards/index.asp for more information about the award and instructions for applying.Please note the deadline of April 1, 2008. Any question about this award or any other ITE award, please contact Heather Talbert at ITE (htalbert@ite.org or 202-289-0222, ext. 138).