MODERNIZATION
A New Way to Complete Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is around the corner and will now be completely paperless!

The 2019 Open Enrollment period begins October 15 and will end November 14 and will be available ONLINE ONLY. Open Enrollment allows employees to enroll in benefits, make changes, add/remove dependents or cancel insurance coverage. All changes during Open Enrollment will be effective for January 1, 2020.

"Going to a system that's completely online will be easier for employees and will allow Human Resources to streamline processing," says Benefits Supervisor & NEO Program Manager Rhonda Truitt.

To prepare for a paperless open enrollment, all employees must access Workday. Workday is a cloud-based application that is available at https://wd5.myworkday.com/wday/authgwy/stateofmaryland/login.html. To log into Workday, you need your W# and password. W# (Workday number) and assistance with Workday by contacting your Agency Benefits Coordinator or Administrative Chief. To keep your password active, you should log into Workday three to four times a month. For technical assistance or password resets, contact the MDOT Service desk at OTTS-HelpMail@mdot.state.md.us or 410-768-7181.

To find the basic navigation course and guide, quick reference guides about viewing your benefits information, and how to initiate a Life Event change to your benefits, visit the SPS Benefits Help Center https://dbm.maryland.gov/sps/Pages/Benefits_HelpCenter.aspx.

INNOVATION
Our First Operations Innovations Showcase

During June's Operations Innovation Showcase, Lab Engineer Mohamed Tarawallie of the Asphalt Technology Division explained ATD's research identifying asphalt mixtures that may crack prematurely.

Deputy Administrator for Operations/Chief Engineer Tim Smith looked back fondly on MDOT SHA's first-ever Operations Innovations Showcase held June 20 that featured 27 unexpectedly novel creations from our talented technicians, engineers and tinkerers. "By thinking differently, we gain those inches, seconds and cents that provide a greater benefit not only to our individual teams, shops, and offices, but also to the State of Maryland."

Examples of that new way of thinking appear among the award winners below:

FIELD OPERATIONS AWARDS

CHIEF ENGINEER'S CHOICE AWARD
CHART Truck Cams - Dave Rineholt

INNOVATION AWARD
Pavement Marking Tape Caddy (District 6 Keyser's Ridge) - Rick Cosner

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD
Skid Steer Drop-off/Build-up Attachment (District 6 Keyser's Ridge) - Carl Durst

SAFETY AWARD
"The Bullit" (District 6 LaVale) - George Walker, Kevin Beckman and Jason Gaumer

COST SAVINGS AWARD
"The Frazee" (District 6 LaVale) - Lynn Frazee, Jeremy Weimer and Jeff Coleman

TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

CHIEF ENGINEER'S CHOICE AWARD
Unmanned Aerial Systems for Emergency Geological Analysis (OMT) - Ross Cutts

INNOVATION AWARD
Winter Operations Dashboard (OOM/CHART) - Erin Dey, Craig Mackowiak, Dave Rossbach and Marshall Stevenson

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD
Dynamic Friction Tester (OMT) - Dan Sajedi, Amanuel Welderufael, Darren Swift and Marlys Abernathy

SAFETY AWARD
MDOT SHA's Pavement Management System (OMT) - Praveen Desaraju and Geoff Hall

COST SAVINGS AWARD
Survey 123 for ARC GIS Fixed Asset Inventory (CHART) Communications Division - Kenneth Bishop

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE
Going the Extra Mile to Explain a Project Face to Face

It was easier to explain the MD 355 project to a customer in person, says, D7 Construction Project Engineer Philip Brentlinger, left, shown here discussing related stream restoration with a contractor.

Sometimes you just can't understand something until you see it with your own eyes. That was the case for Jim, a Clarksburg resident, who frequently drove on MD 355, where MDOT SHA is rebuilding a bridge over Bennett Creek near Urbana.

"I travel this stretch of road daily," he wrote MDOT SHA. "I’m very interested in the project, and the plan and steps involved. Is more information available?"

As it turns out, there was.

D7 Construction Project Engineer Philip Brentlinger responded with an overview of the temporary road being built to handle traffic while an MDOT SHA contractor is constructing a new bridge. Jim, who knows a little about construction, wanted even more detailed plans. Systems limitations, however, prevented Phil from sending the lengthy plans by email.

So, Phil went the extra mile – he broke what filmmakers call the Fourth Wall and invited Jim to stop by the MDOT SHA office, where he could pull the drawings and documents and review them in as much detail as desired.

"I set up a time and when he arrived, I showed him the plans," Phil explains straightforwardly. "This project includes stream restoration, and I showed him where the new stream will go, where the temporary road will be built, and how we'll raise the elevation of the existing road."

Jim departed with a lot more information than MDOT SHA could fit in an email – and a feeling of appreciation, Phil relates.

"He was very pleased with the information," says Phil, who provided his phone number in case more questions came to mind later.

The project is expected to conclude at the end of 2020 and between now and then, Jim will have a chance to match the plans he previewed with actual construction. By early 2021, he should have a chance to drive over the new bridge, whose maps he was able to review in person, thanks to an MDOT SHA staff member who took the time and a personal interest in ensuring Jim had a great customer experience!

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

D6 RME Rick Cosner demonstrates one of his shop's inventions, a tailgate latch extender, while a second creation, a pavement marking caddy, appears onscreen. The caddy earned Cosner a field operations award.