Contacting DOTs

[machias]

I was curious as to how many of us take the time to contact DOTs or toll road agencies when we see something in the field that seems out of whack. Is this something that many of us do?

I know that I occasionally send emails to NYSDOT or the Thruway Authority when I see something that is a blatant error and could cause a safety concern. Some of these communications have proved fruitful and the issue has been corrected, but I wonder if anyone knows if DOT or the like appreciate this sort of thing or not.

[Scott5114]

I notified Oklahoma DOT in 2006 when I saw that one of their signs had been run over by a truck.

The sign is still missing.

I don't contact Oklahoma DOT anymore.

[DaBigE]

Not including contacting them on a regular basis as part of my job, I have sent a few messages as a roadgeek. I'm happy to say I've seen positive results each time.

[jeffandnicole]

On rare occasion I've contacted NJDOT or the local county public works dept.  I've generally had positive results.

[jeffandnicole]

And then there's this...http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/documents/2013%2010-22%20Minutes%20379-409.pdf

Specifically, Page 3, where members of the public can speak on anything.  Anything.  Murray Bodin appears to be a regular at the NJ Turnpike meetings.  Sometimes, some of the things seem to make sense.  But mostly, he seems to rant about various things.  At this month's meeting, he says that Fire Trucks should be Yellow, not Red, so they can be easily seen.  Thus, all Authority trucks should be yellow as well (they are generally orange with reflective tape). 

[cpzilliacus]

I was curious as to how many of us take the time to contact DOTs or toll road agencies when we see something in the field that seems out of whack. Is this something that many of us do?

I do this somewhat frequently.  Sometimes by phone call, sometimes by e-mail.

Usually for stuff like downed sign panels, deer carcasses that need removal and potholes.

[DaBigE]

And then there's this...http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/documents/2013%2010-22%20Minutes%20379-409.pdf

Specifically, Page 3, where members of the public can speak on anything.  Anything.  Murray Bodin appears to be a regular at the NJ Turnpike meetings.  Sometimes, some of the things seem to make sense.  But mostly, he seems to rant about various things.  At this month's meeting, he says that Fire Trucks should be Yellow, not Red, so they can be easily seen.  Thus, all Authority trucks should be yellow as well (they are generally orange with reflective tape).

I remember him from the days when the FHWA forums didn't require formal logins and a complex password to be changed every 90 days. Since then, there hasn't been a peep out of him. Back then, he was on a crusade to get left exits painted completely in yellow and to eliminate all gore marking and channelizing lines because they were too confusing/"average driver didn't know what they meant". He never had any proof or research, just personal opinions. I see some things never change.

[J N Winkler]

I gave up on those forums a long time ago--too many grammar issues indicative of poor English composition skills, as well as the odd post entirely in all caps.

To answer the OP's question, I haven't contacted state DOTs about issues that would be taken care of by maintenance forces.  I did, however, contact a county public works department about an advisory speed plate that was absent from the approach signing for a curve where I had had a run-off-the-road accident when travelling at the speed limit.  No replacement had been erected when I travelled the road in question a few weeks later, but six months later it had.

I have contacted state DOTs about document availability issues.  I wrote to the Kansas DOT secretary suggesting that KDOT create a publicly accessible online construction plans archive (as its peer agencies have already done in MN, GA, KY, and now IA).  I received no answer.  I wrote to the Colorado DOT secretary suggesting that CDOT start putting construction letting plans online and create a publicly accessible online plans archive.  I received no answer.  However, several months later I discovered that there was partial and unadvertised online availability of construction plans for one CDOT region, and I have recently discovered that Bid Express has online letting plans for CDOT (for which, however, the monthly subscription charge is $135).

[Mergingtraffic]

I've contacted CT DOT many times and everytime I've received a response, sometimes I get more than what I asked for....it seems they are willing to share their knowledge and info.

usually I ask about project plans and project updates.  One time I asked about adding "guide dots" through an intersection b/c the lanes didn't match up and they actually added them.  Im pretty sure it was b/c of me b/c I received notice and sure enough a couple weeks later they were done.

Now, I've asked NY DOT about project plans and never get a response.  I could be asking the wrong person though.  But with the CT DOT even if I ask the wrong person, they forward it to the correct one. 

CT DOT is always good at writing back and even offering more.

[J N Winkler]

Now, I've asked NY DOT about project plans and never get a response.  I could be asking the wrong person though.  But with the CT DOT even if I ask the wrong person, they forward it to the correct one.

Some state DOTs ration the resources they allocate to public contact by requiring you to travel in person to the DOT headquarters office or to make your approach through a formal legal channel, such as an open records request, for which there is the possibility of a fee being charged.  I remember the late Randy Hersh telling me that he usually went up to Albany in person to get caught up on NYSDOT signing contracts.

In any event, NYSDOT has been putting its construction plans online since last summer.

https://www.dot.ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/const-notices

There is good availability in arrears, but I have noticed that NYSDOT occasionally deletes the material for certain projects on an ad hoc basis, possibly to clear server space--for example, the construction plans for D262370 (I-84 near the Pennsylvania border, a companion to a PennDOT-administered contract) are no longer up.  The nice thing about NYSDOT's advertising packages is that they typically include plans from previously let contracts for the same segment of road, not just the plans for the contract currently under advertisement.  For example, if NYSDOT advertises a landscaping contract which is essentially mopping-up for a major Staten Island Expressway rehabilitation, you get the five-volume plans set for the rehabilitation as well as the landscaping plans.  In addition, some contracts (not all, unfortunately) that include designable signs have PDF sign text data sheets for those signs, which are essentially PDF plots of GuidSIGN drawings (one sign per sheet).  It really is a fantastic resource, and I wish the Thruway Authority would follow suit and put construction plans online, but I don't see that happening soon (if at all) since they require nondisclosure agreements for some of their contract documentation packages, which eats into the business efficiencies that would otherwise be available from putting everything online.