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MDOT Executive Director Brad White joined The Extra Mile podcast to recap the 2022 calendar year for the agency and look ahead to 2023, including the upcoming legislative session.
Tune in to The Extra Mile presented by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Co-hosts Paul Katool and Will Craft take listeners inside the world of transportation infrastructure in Mississippi.
(Paul) Welcome in to another edition of The Extra Mile podcast presented by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. I’m MDOT Deputy Director of Public Affairs Paul Katool. As always, I’m joined by my co-host Will Craft. He is the man when it comes to government and constituent affairs here at the agency.
Today very excited. We have the big boss. We have MDOT Executive Director Brad White in the studio with us today. It’s actually his fifth appearance on the show. And if you’ve been with us from the very beginning, he was the first guest back in July of 2021. He’s gonna look back with us at the 2022 calendar year. And then kind of look ahead to 2023 including the upcoming legislative session. So, let’s get into it. Brad, thank you so much for joining us today.
(Brad) Thank you very much for having me. I appreciate all that you do.
(Paul) Of course. Of course. So, like I just mentioned. We kind of want to look back at 2022. I know that you said, you know in terms of the session and some funding stuff it was one of the most successful years for MDOT in recent history, but I know that you have some other things you want to tout including that. So, kind of take us back and look at 2022.
(Brad) We had a good year as far as the contracts that were awarded. We broke records with awarding over $964 million worth of highway and bridge projects around the state and state fiscal year 2022. And we did have a wonderful legislative session thanks to a lot of hard work from Will and others on the team here that spent a lot of time and uh, over across the street working with legislators. We had a good year that received additional funding but more importantly kept the flexibility within our federal program with no earmarks which I thought was quite a feat.
Probably the most the thing that I’m most proud about that we’ve done over the last years is our ability to positively address the salary needs around our agency and be able to begin the process. And it is a process. One that we’re not through with yet at realigning salaries and hopefully getting our wages that we’re paying our men and women that make up the MDOT family to a level where they’re able to live comfortably and able to do the things in order to take care of their family and live the American dream. And that’s something that was long overdue. And our ability to have multiple range shifts over the last year. That’s probably the think that I’m most proud of.
(Paul) Lots of good stuff from MDOT this past year.
(Will) Yeah. Been plenty of good things to talk about for 2022. And looking ahead a little bit to 2023 we got a bunch of great projects on the books for next year some big ones, some small ones. Gonna be getting the work out there. Anything uh, jumping off the page that make folks aware of?
(Brad) Well, our big capacity projects that we will have under construction is the Greenville Bypass of course in the Central District. The commission just awarded the Highway 57 hurricane evacuation a project where we’ll be adding lanes down in Jackson County in the Southern District. And then next summer we should be awarding the contractor letting the contract on the Highway 15 in north Mississippi around Union County which is a much needed project along that corridor too.
And thanks to the additional funds that we’ve received not just from the legislature but through the reauthorization of the Federal Highway Administration and the federal infrastructure package that was done the commissions been able to revamp and start back with our capacity program. So, we’ve got projects all over the state from the Tennessee line to the Gulf Coast that we’re doing pre-construction on now in preparation for other projects like that in the near future. So, looking forward to seeing a lot of those come to fruition.
(Will) And I know one thing talking about the session specifically, you know, giving us the extra money although we did get hit with a lot of inflation and you know impact our budget that way. That extra money was able to kind of keep us in line, right?
(Brad) The money that the legislature gave us was given to us for example the $40 million, $45 million for paving hopefully we had thought at the time that they had gave it to us that we would be able to escalate that many more projects. And you’re right due to inflation and material costs and things like that. A lot of that money was used just to keep us on schedule. So, thanks to their support we were able to maintain our schedule and we were able to escalate a few of those projects. So, we were able to do a lot in a short time frame.
(Paul) Good stuff. So, we also, you know, Will just mentioned the legislative session that begins Jan. 3. Is that correct? So, what are you kind of you know we had a really successful one last year, um, so, what are you looking forward to in twenty twenty-three when it comes to the session and MDOT?
(Brad) But number one is do no harm. And uh, I think we had a good session this past session and I think that that will provide a great uh baseline of where to begin our work this coming year. I believe that we’ve been able to build up our trust with the members of the legislature. I think we’ve been able to show them that we will invest wisely the dollars that they give us and they authorize us to use from the federal government.
And so, I expect for us to have a session similar to what we’ve done this last go around with continued funding with continued flexibility and continued authority to address our salary needs around the state. There are a few minor things that we’ll go to them about. We are the Department of Transportation not just the old highway department. And we’re having discussions with the legislative leadership about providing additional funds for our multimodal program that we use to assist with rail and aeronautics and ports around the state. And so, there will be a lot of meaningful conversations I expect with that to try to ensure that we’re able to address all the modes of transportation in a way that helps foster economic development, community development around the state.
(Paul) Excellent. Excellent.
(Will) You know, and this is one thing it’s certainly not the first time we’ve had an election year and a session that happens every four years of you know or otherwise, but for the folks out there that may not know, is there a little different kind of feel of things we’re in election year?
(Brad) I would expect so. The last time that I was at MDOT during an election year I was working for Commissioner Hall. So, it was extremely different in a commissioners office. I don’t know what it will be like in the director’s office, but um, you know that it creates a lot of sensitivity of when our product unfortunately a lot of the projects that we have there’s no way to to build a highway through a populated area without some level of inconvenience.
And so, I’m sure that we’ll hear a lot more complaints and stuff like that from that vantage point of political signs are always kind of a pain in the neck for the Department of Transportation because they seem to pop up like a bunch of mushrooms all over our right-of-way around the state. And they have to be disposed of and that normally is a tedious task. But we’ve been through election years many times before and we’ll get through this one as well. I’m very confident in the men and women that make up our team and their ability to act with professionalism and continue to serve the people in a way that the people deserve to be served. And as long as they continue doing that I think we’ll be fine.
(Paul) No doubt.
(Will) If I may kind of piggyback off that a little bit. It’s always been since I’ve been here it’s been a conversation about that you know the long-term sustainable revenue source. I know that again it’s been at the forefront for some time. Is that something that may get brought up next year you think?
(Brad) I think so uh especially behind the scenes. There are already conversations about that. Um, with the growth of electric and hybrid vehicles uh, I think that everyone realizes that long-term fuel tax was going to be an unsustainable stream of revenue for us to be able to rely upon like we have for the last one hundred years that MDOT’s been functioning. And so, coming up with other ways that we can have committed revenue for this core function of government is going to be very vital because that’s the only way in which we are able to fund our projects is cash flowing them over time.
And so, while we’re it’s great when we receive the one-time money shots and harm the need for preparation when it comes to construction projects requires a dedicated stream of revenue that we can rely on. And so, if it goes unattended then I believe at some point in the future we’re going to continue to see our ability to to meet our mission start to fail.
In fact, due to lack of resources the previous commission, you know, we had about a 10-year moratorium on capacity projects in order to make certain that all of the funds that we had was spent in protecting the current investment that the taxpayers have to the tune of about $65 billion dollars’ worth of investment around the state. So, being able to have dedicated revenue with which we can continue to plan and build and add to the efficiency of our system is just going to be vital and I look forward to working with the legislative leadership to tackle that project.
(Paul) Good stuff. Yeah. That’s certainly been when we’ve been on the road the past year that’s certainly been a big topic of conversation amongst a lot of different uh of our guests. Let’s see. So, anything else looking forward to in 2023 outside of the session? Anything on the horizon?
(Brad) No. Uh, I know I keep I sound like a broken record talking about our salaries, but that is something that we’ve come a long way but we still have a long way to go. And I certainly appreciate the great work that the State Personnel has have been a real they’ve been a real partner with us and trying to address that. And so, being able to continue to move the needle in a positive direction that will allow us to keep good employees and recruit good employees I think is going to be key for our long-term success. So, to me that’s the bullseye that we’ve got to continue shooting at.
(Paul) There you go. There you go.
(Will) Yep. And Paul, you just mentioned that speaking of topics that have come up multiple times on our podcast we’ve had now 40 episodes, is that right?
(Paul) Wow.
(Will) This so this is episode XL right here extra large with the roman numeral. We’ve had some great ones. We’ve had some great guests all year. I think we’ve had some favorites and and been some otherwise. But all have been entertaining and very informative. I think probably my favorite episode uh what I learned the most with with uh Secretary of State Michael Watson. I feel like that whole episode I was just soaking up so much information and knowledge. You got a favorite that stands out or maybe even a most memorable moment?
(Paul) Oh, goodness. So, I really enjoyed doing the legislative session. I think that was Brad’s idea and it’s really great. I mean I learned a lot myself. Um, I’m a competitive guy. If we’re keeping score I want to win. And so, we won several national awards for the podcast which was pretty exciting. So, that was a pretty big highlight I would say.
(Will) Little did we know we were going to get an award recognition out of this thing.
(Paul) It’s crazy.
(Brad) Well then, y’all provided a great service for the agency by doing this podcast because it allowed a platform that we could bring other people from outside the department in. Then not only were we able to learn from them but they were able to learn from us. And many of those folks that came through this was the first time for them to be in our building and to be able to be around some of our team members. And I think that you helped to put the best foot forward for the agency by offering the podcast not just for us but for the guests that we brought into the agency. And just helped forge stronger relationships and that’s what politics is all about.
I mean governing is a team sport and by bringing people in it was just like adding them to our team. And having Lieutenant Governor Hosemann, Speaker Gunn and a whole cadre of committee chairman and other state elected officials it really made a positive difference I believe in our ability to be successful across the street during the session.
(Paul) That is certainly good to hear.
(Will) It’s been fun too.
(Paul) For sure.
(Will) A lot of fun.
(Paul) And just a note on that. We will once again be going weekly in the legislative session. So, beginning in January we’ll be bringing some more you know guests inside and outside of MDOT so looking forward to that for sure.
(Will) Kind of wrapping up here. It is the holiday season. Everybody had a hopefully everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did. I ate too much and yet not enough. How that happens I’m not sure, but um, let’s talk a little bit about holiday traditions. Got Christmas coming up. Brad, do you have any big holiday traditions Christmas oriented coming up?
(Brad) We always gather at my mother’s on Christmas Eve uh the night before so looking forward to being with family doing that. Of course, do something with my father and his side of the family. A little proud of that. Uh, I’m mainly looking forward to having some rest and preparing for the session to start in January.
(Will) That’s right. Paul, what about you?
(Paul) Oh, goodness. Yeah. A big food guy. So, my mom’s Mexican and my dad’s Lebanese so in addition to kind of like the regular or traditional food we do tamales and Lebanese food. Shout out to Albert White. He’s married to a Lebanese woman, and we talk about Lebanese food all the time. So, go get you some if you never had it. So, what about you, Will?
(Will) Yeah. Not not we uh, well we don’t have any you know great food diversity going on there. We are all straight up southern Mississippians um, so we’ll be bouncing up back and forth from Yazoo City, folks in Yazoo and my folks down in Mendenhall. But no crazy traditions. Uh, my mom’s birthday is actually December or New Year’s Eve so, I end up inevitably you know we’re doing Christmas stuff and then we like to throw a birthday in there as well, right, at the end. But um, you know, there’s always good places I’m I’ll be looking forward to seeing where we celebrate the New Year. And can’t believe, I mean golly, it’s we’re halfway through December and 2023 here we are. It’s like I feel like we snapped our fingers and all of a sudden we’re in December. Um, but that’s uh, you know, that’s all I got on that. Um , no great crazy Christmas traditions for us. Lots of Dirty Santa.
(Paul) Love it. Love it. That can always be a good time. Well, uh, yeah. So, we covered a lot of ground uh so far on the podcast today. Brad, we want to thank you as always for coming on. Thanks for your leadership and supporting the podcast uh, we really appreciate it.
Ah, yeah. Let’s go ahead and wrap things up. Uh, remember everybody out there it’s the holiday season. Drive sober, you know, put down the cell phone, don’t text and drive. Let’s get everybody you know where they need to be this holiday season. Uh, and speaking of the public, we want to thank all of you tuning in and listening to The Extra Mile podcast. Uh, you can find episodes of the podcast you can listen and watch by visiting GoMDOT.com/TheExtraMile. We want to thank our producer Katey Hornsby and our editor Drew Hall. They’ve done a ton of good work behind the scene behind the scenes this year. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter social media @MississippiDOT uh for updates on traffic travel throughout the holiday season. Remember to drive smart out there on Mississippi highways.