MoDOT features JC alum's pitch for safe roads

As a student at Missouri State University, Courtney Kolb travels back and forth between Springfield and her hometown of Jefferson City on a frequent basis.

She said the state's investment in recent years in making sure roads and bridges are in good condition helps her make the drive without worry. Kolb recently shared her viewpoint with the Missouri Department of Transportion, which is featuring her story on its website and via social media as part of its "Tough Choices Ahead: What Really Matters" educational campaign.

"I always feel very safe going back and forth," Kolb said. "Everyone expects roads to be safe, and I feel like we've definitely done a good job of doing that and making sure when someone gets on the road, they don't have to worry about getting to their destination.

"My aunt works for MoDOT and knew how often I drove back and forth; so she asked if I'd be willing to do this, and I said yes," Kolb added. "I know there's a lot of students all across Missouri that if they didn't feel they could drive back and forth it would be a detrimental thing for them."

MoDOT officials said stories like Kolb's help them show how transportation touches lives and not to take our transportation system for granted.

Through this campaign, the department plans to spotlight business owners, workers, parents, students and travelers, telling their stories about what matters most to them.

"I know the more our population increases, the more the roads will be used; and that could lead to more damage," Kold said. "They're so nice now; there's no need for them to go down, safety-wise."

You can view Kolb's full story and learn more about MoDOT's "Tough Choices Ahead: What Really Matters" campaign at www.modot.org/toughchoicesahead.