State Government Podcasts » TxDOT-Tyler District Podcast

TxDOT-Tyler District Podcast

"A Matter of Life and Death" – Week of March 3, 2008

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

Most motorists are familiar with TxDOT's maintenance forces and see them from time to time repairing the highways. Less obvious are the district's sign technicians, who often make their rounds by themselves, repairing and replacing damaged signs along the highways. Inevitably, with all that driving, the sign men drive up on some unusual situations, including wrecks, loose cattle and downed trees and power lines. But some days are even stranger than others. For more on his most unusual day, I spoke with Chris Tatum, a sign technician in the Athens Maintenance Section. Programming note: I'm going back to California this week to tend to some family business, so next week's audio podcast will be a dual release with the statewide podcast (http://www.keeptexasmoving.com/index.php/podcast). Video podcasts will be posted as normal.
TxDOT: Working For You – February 29, 2008

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT's Henderson Maintenance Section works to repair base failures in the outside lane of US 259 north of Henderson. A Gradall removes damaged sections while dump trucks bring loads of fresh hot mix for the repairs. A maintainer blades the material into the holes, then rollers smooth the final surface.
"Sealing An Old Jacksonville Profile" – Week of February 25, 2008

Posted: February 22nd, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

By now, if you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time, you've heard me talking about seal coat. That's a summertime surface application where we put down sticky asphalt and cover it with rock in the hopes of sealing water out of a road's base. But in the winter, seal coat isn't practical because the asphalt can contract in cold temperatures and let loose the rocks it was supposed to be sticking down. Instead, we perform what's called fog seal. Fog seal is a similar process to seal coat except for the fact that no rock is spread on top. Weather permitting, TxDOT's special jobs crew is scheduled to fog seal FM 2493 or Old Jacksonville Highway south of Tyler beginning on Monday and lasting throughout the week. For more on this kind of work, I spoke with Royce Traylor, the crew chief for the special jobs crew.
TxDOT: Working For You – February 22, 2008

Posted: February 22nd, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT's South Tyler Maintenance Section uses a Gradall to clean the ditchline along FM 15 east of Troup while the crew waits for hot mix to finish repairing a pot hole. Once the hot mix arrives, the crew will use the Gradall to scoop the material into the cavity and roll it smooth.
TxDOT: Working For You – February 15, 2008

Posted: February 15th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT's Longview Maintenance Section works with an "Asphalt Zipper" mounted on the bucket of an articulated loader. The Zipper, a smaller mill machine, grinds up a narrow segment of pavement as part of a mill-and-inlay operation. Because of the narrower cut, a Bobcat loader pushes a smaller laydown machine for the hot-mix inlay.
"Seeing the Bigger Funding Picture" – Week of February 18, 2008

Posted: February 15th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

While last week's hearing in front of the state Senate Finance Committee wasn't the most comfortable way for TxDOT's administration to spend an afternoon, the hearing did serve to narrow the conversation about transportation and future funding for transportation. At issue at one point was TxDOT's "lost billion dollars," which was the result of a mathematical error in a fiscal-year projection. In other words, we counted one of our eggs twice. The feel of the hearing was one of two friends disagreeing, and finding out over a heated discussion that it was a miscommunication that started the whole thing in the first place. And, as Chris Lippincott of TxDOT's Government and Public Affairs Division in Austin told me, there is a silver lining. Also, a quick look Tyler District projects that have been affected by funding shortfalls.
"Not Just Another Piece of Metal" – Week of February 11, 2008

Posted: February 8th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

21 million registered vehicles in Texas and growing. Even at that pace, and as large as Texas is, we're just now running out of six character alpha-numeric combinations for Texas license plates. So as Texas plans to put a seventh alpha-numeric character on its license plates, we thought it might also be a good time to refresh the look of the license plate. To help TxDOT make a decision on which design might ultimately adorn the new Texas license plates, we've put it to a vote on our web site, www.txdot.gov. And while it will be interesting to see which design ultimately wins the voting contest, License plates are much more than a piece of metal you attach to your vehicle. To find out more, I spoke with Rebecca Davio, the director of TxDOT's Vehicle Title and Registration Division.
TxDOT; Working For You – February 8, 2008

Posted: February 8th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT's Longview Maintenance Section overlays the intersection of US 80 and Bill Owens Parkway in Longview as part of a project to rehabilitate a series of intersections along US 80 in in that area. Crews sweep the area to be paved, spray a thin layer of adhesive asphalt, then lay down fresh hot mix. Heavy traffic conditions cause the work to be done at a slower-than-normal pace to avoid accidents.
TxDOT: Working For You – February 1, 2008

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT's Henderson Maintenance Section crews work to patch potholes on SH 43 west of Tatum. The operation moves quickly, with the materials delivered as needed on the trouble spots by a dump truck, then spread into the holes by crew members. The work can be dangerous, especially when traffic doesn't slow down.
'Adding Fuel to the Fire" – Week of February 4, 2008

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

In the past few years, TxDOT as an agency has been asked to assist in some major emergency relief efforts. Between Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, TxDOT assistance of many kinds helped keep buses rolling out of Louisiana, and helped turn all Interstate lanes north and west from the Houston and Beaumont areas to assist in a massive evacuation. Lesser known was TxDOT's assistance in providing emergency fuel to volunteer fire departments around the state as they helped battle raging wildfires. And, since Governor Rick Perry last week declared 152 Texas counties as disaster areas because of wildfires, TxDOT is back in the fuel delivery business to help those brave men and women continue to their fight. To find out more about TxDOT's role in helping fight wildfires, I spoke with Randy Ralson, in the Tyler District maintenance office. Also this week in the Tyler District, construction crews plan to close Maji Road in Whitehouse; a public hearing on I-69/TTC is scheduled for Wednesday in Longview; and a brief editorial on driving safety.

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State Government Podcasts » TxDOT-Tyler District Podcast » February 2008

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TxDOT-Tyler District Podcast

"A Matter of Life and Death" – Week of March 3, 2008

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT: Working For You – February 29, 2008

Posted: February 29th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

"Sealing An Old Jacksonville Profile" – Week of February 25, 2008

Posted: February 22nd, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT: Working For You – February 22, 2008

Posted: February 22nd, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT: Working For You – February 15, 2008

Posted: February 15th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

"Seeing the Bigger Funding Picture" – Week of February 18, 2008

Posted: February 15th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

"Not Just Another Piece of Metal" – Week of February 11, 2008

Posted: February 8th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT; Working For You – February 8, 2008

Posted: February 8th, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

TxDOT: Working For You – February 1, 2008

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]

'Adding Fuel to the Fire" – Week of February 4, 2008

Posted: February 1st, 2008, 9:59pm PST

Enclosure: [download]