Category:100 GENERAL

100.1 Construction Inspection Guidelines for MoDOT Organization and Committees

100.1.1 MoDOT Organization

MoDOT organization is shown on this MoDOT organization chart. Organization of Construction and Materials is shown on the Construction and Materials chart.

MoDOT is responsible for all work on Missouri's Transportation Systems.

MoDOT is under the general control of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission (MHTC.) The Commission is composed of six members, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Not more than three may be members of the same political party. Since there is a two-party system in Missouri, three of the commissioners are Democrats and three are Republicans. Their terms of office are six years.

The Commission appoints the Director and Secretary to the Highway and Transportation Commission. The Director, with consent of the Commission, selects the Chief Counsel.

The Director is responsible for operation of the Missouri Department of Transportation. In this capacity, the Director delegates responsibilities for design, construction and maintenance of the transportation system.

The Chief Counsel advises the Director, the Commission and its staff on legal matters.

The Secretary to the Commission performs duties as indicated by the title.

The Commission usually meets for one day each month. This meeting is devoted to public hearings and department business.

Public hearings may involve anything related to transportation facilities. Usually an organization, delegation or person is represented by a spokesperson requesting an appointment to appear before the Commission. If MoDOT personnel are familiar with the request, they will normally prepare a map so that the spokesperson and others present, as well as the Commission, can study the subject under discussion. After the hearing, the Director will advise the Commission of the department's position or policy in such matters. The Commission then deliberates and decides what course the MoDOT should take.

In addition to public hearings, the Commission conducts the regular business of MoDOT. Much of this is fairly routine, but is necessary in the workings of the department. Such items as change of route status, urban agreements, maintenance agreements and leases must all be approved by the Commission. The Commission also approves all MoDOT expenditures.

Service on the Commission is indeed a very important service to the people of Missouri. Members must make definite decisions, establish detailed policies and approve or modify general guidelines recommended by the Director.

A good organization must work as a team if it is to function properly. To do this the team must be provided general policies and guidelines. If these general policies and guidelines are not followed, then operating procedures become different in the different divisions and in different areas of the state.

All functions of MoDOT are under the supervision of the Director. The Director's principal assistants are the Chief Engineer, Chief Financial Officer, Community Relations, Governmental Relations, Organizational Results, Chief Counsel’s Office and Audits and Investigations. The Director of System Management, Director of Program Delivery and Director of Multimodal Operations report to the Chief Engineer. General Services, Risk Management, Resource Management, Equal Opportunity, Employee Benefits, Information Systems, Human Resources, and the Controllers Office report to the Chief Operating Officer.

Each Director is assigned certain divisions. The Director of Program Development supervises the divisions of Design, Right of Way, Construction and Materials, Transportation Planning and Bridge. The Director of System Management supervises the divisions of Maintenance, Traffic, Highway Safety and Motor Carrier.

The Controllers Office reports to both the Chief Financial Officer and the Highway and Transportation Commission.

The various division engineers and directors carry out the duties of their assigned divisions and offices under the broad policies established by the Commission.

The district engineer is the operational representative of the Director in each of the ten districts of the state. Among the district engineer's assistants are the district construction engineers whose responsibilities include construction contracts. Operating under the general supervision of the district construction engineer is the resident engineer who is MoDOT's representative on construction projects.

100.1.2 MoDOT Committees

Many important MoDOT operations are carried out by committees. There are several standing committees which perform various duties.

100.1.2.1 Contractor Claims Committee

The purpose of the Contractor Claims Committee is to review contractor's construction claims and to assist the Chief Engineer in arriving at a solution. Members of the committee are: Director of Program Delivery, Chair; the Director of System Management and the Chief Financial Officer.

100.1.2.2 The Associated General Contractors of Missouri - Missouri Department of Transportation Joint Cooperative Committee

This committee meets to discuss suggestions and questions pertaining to standards and specifications required by the Commission for construction work by contract. The Associated General Contractors (AGC) is represented on this committee by the heads of their divisions related to highway work as well as their Executive Vice President. AGC divisions related to highway work are: Bituminous Division, Bridge Division, First and Second Grading Divisions and Paving Division.

MoDOT representatives on the committee are the Chief Engineer, Co-Chairperson; Director of Program Delivery; Chief Counsel; the State Engineer of Design, the State Engineer of Bridge and the State Construction & Materials Engineer.

The committee meets formally once a year to discuss a number of items. MoDOT and the AGC submit items to each other in advance of the meeting so that everyone will be familiar with what is to be discussed.

Naturally, not all requests or suggestions made by either party are approved. Many of the suggestions submitted are implemented because they have merit and will benefit both organizations.

If a suggestion cannot be put into effect, an explanation is given as to why it cannot be done. Even where honest differences of opinion prevent implementation, discussions of this type are helpful in gaining mutual understanding of each other's problems and opinions. This procedure has brought about a very fine working relationship between the AGC of Missouri and the MoDOT.

In addition to this formal meeting, special meetings are often held between affected divisions of the department and the AGC, to discuss and work out problems in a particular phase of work.

100.1.2.3 Route Marking Committee

The Route Marking Committee is composed of the State Traffic Engineer, Secretary with the Director of Program Delivery, the Director of System Management, the Transportation Planning Director, the State Design Engineer, the State Construction & Materials Engineer and the State Maintenance Engineer having voting rights. Their purpose is to study and review recommended route markings on state and U.S. routes.