MDOT to host safe routes program for kids

The Mississippi Senate has approved the appointment of Melinda McGrath, P.E. to remain executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). The Senate approved McGrath’s appointment began April 1 and will end April 1, 2017, unless it is further extended.  
 
Senate Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons said, “I recommend her. She has done a good job.”  […]

Enforcement officers with the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) stopped an 18-wheeler for a routine weight and safety check and discovered at least 500 pounds of marijuana.

MDOT officials said the incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 12. The officers stopped a 1999 Freightliner tractor and van trailer at the eastbound I-59 Lauderdale inspection facility, for a routine weight, safety and paperwork inspection.
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A gust of wind kicks up a trail of dust as forty tons of metal on wheels speeds past. A car full of children waving their hands passes a flagman on the side of the road. A teenager heading to class looks down for a spilt second to check his phone, and then disaster strikes.

Every day, men and women face these dangers in work zones across Mississippi. Truthfully, a lot of road crews never see a fatality during their time on the job, but it happens more frequently than one might think. The month of April is when the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) joins other agencies and companies around the nation to raise awareness for work zone safety and to commemorate workers who have been fatally injured on the job.

Over the past couple weeks, MDOT has coordinated multiple events through the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center and Traffic Engineering Safety Programs to raise awareness of the realistic dangers of work zones and promote safer driving habits. […]