There is a bit of discussion going on with regards to a report published by an outside consultant that evaluated the NC Department of Transportation. Just curious on everyone's perception and/or experiences with the DOT.

472 page report:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/flash/1992196/

Story:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/1990664/

Quote :

"DOT Criticized For Lack of Priorities, Accountability Consulting Firm Will Help Restructure DOT Raleigh — A consultant's report that cost taxpayers $2.5 million said that projects at the state Department of Transportation proceed slowly because of a lack of prioritization, accountability and coordination. The 472-page report, prepared by international management consultant McKinsey & Co., was ordered in response to a botched paving job on Interstate 40 in Durham. The review was based in part on confidential interviews and surveys of nearly 9,000 DOT employees and interviews with state leaders. Workers complained about low morale, poor communication and a lack of incentive-based pay, and they said the DOT is too political. Many said there was a lack of vision and accountability at the agency, and one employee wrote that it seemed like no one is in charge. "If this was a corporate structure, heads would have rolled," said state Sen. Neal Hunt, R-Wake, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee. "There are too many political appointees sitting around acting like engineers, and they're not." Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett said he doesn't feel that his job is in jeopardy because of the report. "If it's candid answers, you'll see where the warts are in your organization. The issue is do something about it," Tippett said. "The buck stops with me and I had the authority to order the consultant to come in and take a look at us, and I did just that." Gov. Mike Easley is confident that Tippett will carry out the recommendations made in the review, Easley spokesman Seth Effron said. State lawmakers have told the DOT to examine how it works before requesting more money. Legislators are expected to make transportation a priority in the next session of the General Assembly. The report also found that the DOT's structure prevents some divisions from working well with each other and that it doesn't do a good job of recruiting new workers or keeping the good ones. Among the recommendations are that the DOT increase accountability and streamline projects. McKinsey & Co. will help the agency implement efficiency changes over the next year and a half. The mistake that prompted the DOT audit is close to wrapping up. Pavement on about 11 miles of I-40 had to be ripped up and resurfaced after it began crumbling shortly after a major widening project. Crews are expected to finish the job by the end of the year. Inspectors determined a lack of on-site inspection, badly written contracts and a lack of accountability by DOT managers led to mistakes in the original paving job. Three highway engineers were disciplined and another DOT official retired in the wake of the botched project. The DOT and contractors continue to haggle over who picks up the tab for the $21 million repaving project."

11/1/2007 11:51:43 PM

Does anyone else get the sense that this Tippett person paid an independent consultant $2.5 million to do his job for him and he's not even gonna get fired for it?

11/1/2007 11:59:51 PM

Seems like his job would be to get an outside consultant group. If the DOT really is that political then how is an internally conducted study going to get honest results out of "confidential" interviews and surveys?

If 2.5 million now saves 2.5 million per year after the fixes are supposedly implemented...

Now whether or not any real changes that actually address the problems get implemented is another story.

11/2/2007 6:19:16 AM

Unless he does something heinous in the next few months, Tippett's job is probably safe. It would be more trouble than it's worth to replace him at this late stage of the Easley administration.

But the NCDOT needs a giant enema--as do a number of state agencies. Problems with the department in question go back decades and a lasting solution won't happen overnight.

11/2/2007 6:44:59 AM

Did they really need to spend 2.5 mill to find this information out?

It's pretty obvious that the NCDOT lacks any sort of long range planning, hell, even their near term planning is pretty pathetic.

One of the most glaring examples of just "what the fuck were they thinking" to me is that 2-3 mile stretch of 40 between wade and Crossroads.

Who did that traffic study that assumed enough traffic would be merging off on wade, and enough would be hopping on the beltline north or US 1 south that it wouldn't be a problem to have 3-5 lanes of highway on each side of this stretch of 2 lane?

Hwy 55 is another example. I've lived in Holly Springs for over 3 years. When I first moved in, getting from the bypass split up to US1 at first wasn't a big deal. Now, in just 3 years it's gone from 2 minutes to travel this distance to 10-15 on an average day, and worse if some yoyo fender benders. HSP and Fuquay are going to continue to grow like crazy and I haven't seen any plan anywhere to widen this stretch of road, to widen it through Apex (they claimed it would cost tons of money to widen the road under the railroad tracks), etc etc.

11/2/2007 7:16:40 AM

Heck, they're just now getting around to widening Tryon - there was a clear need 15 years ago.

11/2/2007 8:13:50 AM

THIS TOWN NEEDS AN ENEMA

11/2/2007 9:04:30 AM

Heck of a Job Tippy!

11/2/2007 9:30:40 AM

Quote :

"problem to have 3-5 lanes of highway on each side of this stretch of 2 lane?"

you lost me on this statement.

but yeah the 3-4 mile segment between exit 1 and wade avenue is fucked up, inefficient, and of need of improvment.

11/2/2007 9:49:31 AM

well it was designed nearly 40 years ago

11/2/2007 9:51:23 AM

This just in. Govenment bureaucracy slow and ineffective.

details at 11

11/2/2007 9:53:24 AM

they have upgraded nearly every other freeway around raleigh.

11/2/2007 9:53:39 AM

Quote :

"HUR All American 8925 Posts user info edit post block user Quote : "problem to have 3-5 lanes of highway on each side of this stretch of 2 lane?" you lost me on this statement. but yeah the 3-4 mile segment between exit 1 and wade avenue is fucked up, inefficient, and of need of improvment. 11/2/2007 9:49:31 AM Aficionado All American 13064 Posts user info edit post block user well it was designed nearly 40 years ago"

Did you read what I posted, or was it that obtuse? The widening they did on both sides of this stretch of road has been done in the last decade. Why no one decided to add an extra 10 million onto the 100s of millions that entire project cost is beyond me.

11/2/2007 10:02:40 AM