The DOT POD

In this episode of The DOT POD, Josh and Anya are on location in Hauppauge, NY on Long Island to talk about bascule bridges - what they are, how they work, and how we maintain them. There are five bascule bridges, essentially drawbridges, on Long Island that are owned and operated by New York State DOT. We sat down with a couple of employees who work with these bridges daily. Mitch Rippe is a bridge repair supervisor and Paul Barnes is a bridge operator. They shed light on what it takes to operate and maintain these bridges, some of which are over 90 years old, and how the DOT is working tirelessly to keep New Yorkers safe and connected.

Though the weather outside is frightful, the hardworking men and women of the New York State Department of Transportation are out there ensuring the roads throughout the state are safe to drive on. In this edition of The DOT POD, hosts Josh and Anya welcome in two employees who are on the front lines of this seasonal battle; Kevin Kelsey, a Maintenance Supervisor 2 in the Southern Tier, and Mike Kraeger, a Bridge Maintenance Supervisor in the Mohawk Valley. From Nor'easters to lake effect snow, Kevin and Mike discuss what its like to be a part of DOT's snow-fighting force and take us through the challenges that come with dealing with our New York winters.

Last month, New York State Department of Transportation's Office of Traffic Safety & Mobility welcomed their counterparts from Maine DOT to learn from each other in through peer exchange experiences. Josh and Anya welcome back Becky Gibson-Schott, Director of Transportation Systems Management and Operations in the Office of Traffic Safety and Mobility for NYSDOT, and Colby Fortier-Brown, an Assistant State Traffic Engineer for Maine DOT. They discuss the value of this type of peer exchange and how this kind of knowledge-sharing of innovative ideas and technology plays a huge role in our vast transportation systems throughout the US. They also discuss the some of the exciting things that are being worked on to help shape the future of the transportation field.

On this episode, hosts Josh Heller and Anya Kardos celebrate the first anniversary of The DOT POD, which launched just over a year ago, on November 16, 2023. They look back on the year that was, which included 27 different episodes that highlighted the people, projects, and initiatives that pushed the New York State DOT forward. Join Josh and Anya as they hop in the way-back-machine and revisit some of the many highlights from the first year of The DOT POD.