Ozarks Profile: Dale Ricks

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Tell us about your department.|ret||ret||tab|

MoDOT builds and maintains the 32,000-plus miles of highway system in Missouri. MoDOT also has some oversight of the small airports, river ports and railroad crossings.|ret||ret||tab|

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What specifically does you job entail? |ret||ret||tab|

I administer the 12-county area around Springfield and approximately 500 employees. As district engineer I am responsible for the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of the state highways within the district. |ret||ret||tab|

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How did you come to choose this career?|ret||ret||tab|

I always liked math and science in school so engineering was a natural curriculum for me to follow in college. I worked for MoDOT during the summers, enjoyed the work and started full-time after graduation.|ret||ret||tab|

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What are the biggest challenges for your industry? |ret||ret||tab|

Currently, it is trying to meet the needs of ever-growing traffic without the benefit of growing resources.|ret||ret||tab|

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What are some the biggest projects for your department?|ret||ret||tab|

The four-laning of Highway 13 and Route 7 from Springfield to Kansas City will be completed in the next few years. We are working on the design to complete the last phase of West Bypass from Chestnut Expressway to Kearney Street and intend to start construction next year. We are also designing the plans to rebuild the Interstate 44 and U.S. Highway 65 interchange. Conceptual plans for the James River Freeway and U.S. Highway 65 interchange are in the making.|ret||ret||tab|

What are your |ret||ret||tab|

plans and what effect is the state budget having on them? |ret||ret||tab|

MoDOT's direction is to take care of the roads we have in our system and get them back in good shape. It's also to complete what we have started, such as the West Bypass, and Highway 13 from Springfield to Kansas City. We also want to build public trust. MoDOT does not derive any of its funding from general revenue and is therefore not in the severe budget crunch most of the state agencies are in. We have enough funding to maintain the existing system but do not have what is needed to expand it to meet the ever-increasing traffic demands. |ret||ret||tab|

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Tell us about you family.|ret||ret||tab|

My wife and I have six daughters. Three of them are married and we have two grandchildren. None of them live in the Springfield area, though I have a lot of family who do.|ret||ret||tab|

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What are your spare-time pursuits? |ret||ret||tab|

I enjoy riding motorcycles, especially touring and like to be out of doors in general.|ret||ret||tab|

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