Maintaining road safety and ensuring the well-being of workers is a daily challenge for transportation departments. In Burnet, Texas, Kevin Lenox, a maintenance supervisor with TxDOT, leads his team through unpredictable situations.
“From day to day the maintenance office is just a roller coaster, sometimes,” Lenox said. “You might have a plan and there might be a wreck out there(and) we have to shut down what we’re doing, and go out there and help out law enforcement.”
Lenox’s team must respond quickly to incidents ranging from vehicle crashes to unexpected emergencies. “I’ve actually even had a plane crash on a US highway, a couple of years ago, so you never know what might occur,” he said.
His experience as a Marine has shaped his ability to remain calm under pressure. “Once that hits and the stress kind of settles in, there’s things going on everywhere and that’s where your leadership comes into play,” Lenox said.
Preparation is central to Lenox’s approach. He dedicates time to analyzing data, planning activities, and training staff. The importance of caution on the job is clear; he recalled an incident where a traffic cone was blown off an 18-wheeler and struck a worker’s hard hat.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize how much those cones weigh,” he said. “If one hits you, it’s probably going to — at the very least — knock you unconscious.”
Lenox stresses teamwork and safety at every opportunity. “As a supervisor, my biggest fear is that I don’t want to have those major horrific injuries or even a fatality. It’s not something that I ever want to experience” Lenox said. “We are really the first line of defense for each other. That’s what keeps us coming home every day.”
Motorists are urged to protect road crews by moving over or slowing down by 20 mph when passing work zones with flashing lights.
Meanwhile, federal initiatives continue supporting infrastructure resilience nationwide. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration recently announced new guidance along with $7.3 billion in formula funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding aims to help states prepare for extreme weather events such as wildfires and flooding (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-administration-announces-new-protect-formula-program-73-billion-bipartisan).
Additionally, USDOT efforts like FLOW—Freight Logistics Optimization Works—bring together supply chain partners who share data securely with USDOT in hopes of improving goods movement efficiency (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot-supply-chain-companies-collaborate-speed-movement-goods-cut-costs-consumers).
These ongoing investments in transportation infrastructure support local leaders like Lenox as they work daily to keep roads safe for everyone.
