Politics & Government

Transportation Funding Crisis Blamed For MoDOT Cuts

MoDOT officials said Wednesday that a transportation funding crisis is forcing cuts in staff, facilities and equipment that will save the department $512 million.

(MoDOT) officials said Wednesday that a transportation funding crisis is forcing cuts in staff, facilities and equipment that will save the department $512 million.

In a news release, MoDOT officials said that a severe decline in funding and the inability to match federal funds in the near future has led the department to propose reducing the size of its staff by 1,200, closing 135 facilities and selling more than 740 pieces of equipment. MoDOT Director Kevin Keith presented that plan to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Wednesday. He said that by 2015, this plan will save $512 million that will be used for road and bridge projects.

"We asked the director to put forth a bold plan of action to address our transportation funding crisis, and he delivered," said Commission Chair Grace Nichols in the press release. "We don't like having to head in this direction, but the reality of our funding situation makes it necessary."

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According to MoDOT, Missouri's state highway construction program has cost an average of $1.2 billion a year for the last five years. Wednesday, MoDOT presented a new, five-year construction program to the commission that will reduce that cost to approximately $600 million a year. 

"We are facing a transportation funding crisis in Missouri," Keith said in a news release. "Over the past year, we have worked hard to reduce the size of our workforce and cut costs, but it isn't enough. We must take further action to become the right size to serve our customers given the severe reduction in funding for transportation."

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Linda Wilson, MoDOT's community relations manager, tells Patch that MoDOT's St. Louis Metro Office will remain in Town and Country.  

"None of the buildings in Town and Country are affected. We won't know details on the full changes to employees for a while," Wilson said.

The department's plan includes reducing its 10 district offices to seven. It plans to close those offices in Macon, Joplin and Willow Springs, a department release stated. The consolidation and combination of several central office divisions will reportedly reduce the size of MoDOT's workforce by 1,200, the number of its facilities by 135, and its equipment inventory by more than 740 pieces. The staff reduction will occur through attrition and transfers, and, as a last step, layoffs, the press release said.

"We don't like having to do this, and we aren't proposing these changes lightly, because we know they will be personal and painful for many people, but heading in this direction is the right thing to do. It's what we have to do to survive," Keith said in the news release. "Without these actions, Missouri would lose millions of dollars in federal funds for transportation."

Throughout the next month, MoDOT plans to hold community briefings across the state to explain the new plan.

The commission is expected to act on the proposal at its June 8 meeting. MoDOT said if the plan is approved, the recommendations will begin rolling out immediately with full implementation set for December 2012.


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