VOLUME XXV NO. II SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SUMMER 2015 Hall, Patton, Keys: Top leadership changes at SCDOT By Pete Poore or the second time in two years, Governor Nikki Haley appointed FChristy A. Hall as Acting Secre- tary of Transportation, on July 2, 2015, ef- fective immediately. The Governor made the appointment following the resignation of Janet P. Oakley in June. Acting Secretary Hall had been serving SCDOT as the Deputy Secretary for Engi- neering since May of 2014. In that posi- tion, she was responsible for managing all engineering operations; preconstruction, construction, maintenance and traffic en- gineering in support of SCDOT’s $1.5 bil- lion program. Before serving a brief term as SC- DOT’s Acting Secretary from February to May 2014, the South Carolina native held the position of Deputy Secretary Christy Hall Ron Patton Brian Keys of Finance and Procurement from 2011- Acting Secretary Deputy Secretary Deputy Secretary 2014. In that role, she deployed revised of Transportation for Intermodal Planning for Finance and Procurement business practices and cash management techniques that led to restoring a sound fi- leadership team and all SCDOT employ- as the new Deputy Secretary for Intermo- on that date. Keys has served in several nancial position for an agency with a peak ees and our partners will work to provide dal Planning, effective immediately. leadership roles for the agency, most re- cash demand of over $100 million during the best and safest possible highway sys- Patton has served in a number of lead- cently as Director of Rights of Way since the summer months. tem to provide mobility for our citizens ership roles for SCDOT. Most recently he 2013. Prior to that position, he served as The Acting Secretary has more than and visitors, and give South Carolina an held the position of Chief Engineer since the Assistant Chief Engineer for Planning, two decades of service at SCDOT. She advantage in economic growth,” said June of 2010. Prior to that role, he served Locations and Design from 2007 to 2013. began her career in Road Design and held Hall. as the Director of Planning and Environ- He held a number of key positions in Pre- numerous management positions includ- Speaking at the SCDOT Commission mental from December 2001 to 2010. He construction from 1990 to 2007. He was ing Program Manager, District Construc- workshop and meeting on July 16 in Co- also spent nine years as a Program Man- responsible for ensuring the obligation tion Engineer (DCE) in District 3 and Dis- lumbia, Commission Chairman Jim Ro- ager for much of Upstate South Carolina. and delivery of federal-aid eligible and trict Engineering Administrator (DEA) in zier commented publicly on Acting Secre- Patton began his career at SCDOT in 1991 state projects, as well as assisting in over- District 2. She is a Registered Profession- tary Hall’s appointment. “This Commis- as a Hydraulic Engineer in the Hydrology all program management for his assigned al Engineer in South Carolina. sion is in lock-step supporting Christy and Office. region. The Clemson University graduate with this organization under her leadership. We He is a 1990 graduate of Clemson Uni- The Columbia native began his career a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil En- are excited about our direction. Her plans versity where he earned a Bachelor of at SCDOT in 1986 as an engineering in- gineering said she is honored to serve in are absolutely excellent and we are 100% Science degree in Civil Engineering. The tern while completing his undergraduate this key leadership position for the agen- supportive of Christy,” said Rozier. native of Greenville, he is a Registered degree. He earned a Bachelor of Science cy. “I am proud of SCDOT’s employees As Acting Secretary Hall took the reins Professional Engineer in South Carolina. degree in Civil Engineering from the Uni- and their dedication and commitment to of the agency, she had two Deputy Secre- Acting Secretary Hall appointed Brian versity of South Carolina in 1991. He is service for South Carolina. Together, the tary positions to fill due to retirements. On Keys as Deputy Secretary of Finance and a Registered Professional Engineer in July 2, 2015, Ron Patton was announced Procurement on July 6, 2015, effective South Carolina. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Target Zero .........................................................7 Promotions and Retirements .....................13-15 News Briefs .........................................................8 Equipment Operators Safety Training .......16-20 New FHWA SC Division Administrator .........2 Overheight truck sensors on I-85 .....................9 50 years of service, still going strong ............21 Public input on Carolina Crossroads .............4 Strategic Highway Safety Plan ........................ 11 District Pages ..............................................23-30 Employee, former commissioner honored ....5 Division of Minority and Small Business .......12 Crashes, fires destroy interstate roadway ...31 2 SCDOT l THE CONNECTOR l SUMMER 2015 Leaphart named Chief Emily Lawton is SC Division Engineer for Operations Administrator at Federal Highway n June 2015, Emily Lawton be- came the Division Administrator for ndrew Leaphart has been the FHWA South Carolina Division. selected as the Chief En- IIn this capacity, she leads a multi-disci- Agineer for Operations for plinary staff of 20 that is responsible for the South Carolina Department of the delivery of the federal-aid program Transportation. in South Carolina and provides leader- Leaphart has served in several ship and guidance to FHWA’s state, lo- leadership roles for the agency, cal and federal partners. most recently as Director of Sup- Prior to her appointment as Division port Services since November Administrator, Lawton served as the 2011. Prior to that position, he Assistant Division Administrator in Or- served as the Assistant Chief En- egon for 11 years. She joined FHWA’s gineer for Operations November Highway Engineer training program in 2007 to November 2011. He began 1991 with various assignments through- his career with SCDOT in 1992 in out the United States. Following the the Traffic Engineering Office. training program, she held positions in He is a 1991 graduate of Clem- Eastern Federal Lands and the Division son University where he earned a Offices in Virginia and North Carolina. Bachelor of Science degree in Civ- Lawton is a native of North Carolina il Engineering. He is a Registered and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Professional Engineer in South Engineering from North Carolina State Emily Lawton Carolina. University. SC Division Administrator Andrew Leaphart Federal Highway Administration South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission Jim Rozier John N. Hardee Ben H. Davis Jr. Woodrow W. W.B. Cook Samuel B. Glover Mike Wooten Clifton Parker 1st Congressional 2nd Congressional 3rd Congressional Willard 5th Congressional 6th Congressional 7th Congressional Commissioner District District District 4th Congressional District District District At-Large District Winner of awards from S.C. Division, Public Relations Society of America; Carolinas Association of Business Communicators; S.C. Press Association and AASHTO. Editor: Stan Shealy news items may be reproduced with credit to The telephone (803) 737-1270. All materials submitted Photography / Layout Editor: Rob Thompson Connector or the source. News, photos and infor- become the property of SCDOT unless their return mation to appear in The Connector should be sub- is stipulated. The Connector Editorial Board: Pete Poore, Bob Kudelka, mitted to Stan Shealy, Office of Communications, is distributed free by mail to Bonnie Cramer, Tasha Crumpton, Kim Corley, S.C. Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 191, employees and to others upon Drew Stewart, Zoe Cook and Cody Crouch. Columbia, SC 29202, no less than three weeks prior request. to date of publication. Copy should include the name Christy Hall is the The Connector is an employee newspaper of the South Carolina and phone number of the source or person submit- Acting South Carolina Secretary of Press Association South Carolina Department of Transportation. All ting the article. For inquiries regarding news copy, Transportation. Associate Member SCDOT l THE CONNECTOR l SUMMER 2015 3 Work begins on I-85/I-385 Gateway project By Pete Poore isting interchange in Greenville County “This rehabilitation work is just the first Garlington and Miller Roads. which handles 200,000 vehicles per day. of many upgrades scheduled in the next • Providing a “right-out only” exit from The work that began in late July involves four years to improve safety and ease con- The Shops at Greenridge onto westbound otorists traveling at night on repaving operations on the northbound gestion around this interchange. The pub- Woodruff Road. I-85 between Mauldin Road travel lanes on I-85 between Mauldin lic can expect to see a huge transforma- The major phases of construction are Mand Woodruff Road have seen Road (mile marker 46) and Woodruff tion of the current I-85/I-385 interchange expected to begin by early 2016 and fin- the first signs of construction activity on Road (mile marker 51). Repaving will in the coming years,” said David Hebert, ish in late 2018. During this time, lane the second-largest transportation infra- also start soon between Pelham Road SCDOT Resident Construction Engineer. closures will be restricted to the nighttime structure project undertaken by SCDOT (mile marker 54) and the Greenville-Spar- Highlights of the project include: hours to minimize impacts on traffic. in its history. The $231 million I-85/I-385 tanburg (GSP) Airport exit (mile marker • Extending the right-hand lane on I-85 This project is using a design-build ap- interchange improvement project is a 57). The repaving operations are expected northbound, about a mile north of the in- proach in which Flatiron-Zachry, a joint four-year project to modernize the ex- to be complete in November of this year. terchange, to tie directly into the Pelham venture of Flatiron Construction Corpo- Road exit.