PANEL DISCUSSION ON HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

CURRENTLY THE MINNESOTA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT IS STUDYING WAYS AND MEANS OF REVAMPING ITS ORGANIZATION TO MEET PRESENT AND ANTICIPATED NEEDS. THE PRESENT ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1921 TO TAKE CARE OF A NEWLY AUTHORIZED TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM. IN THE CURRENT REORGANIZATION STUDY SEVERAL FACTORS ARE INVOLVED. FIRST, THE VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS HAS DOUBLED SINCE 1950 AND HAS MORE THAN TREBLED SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. SECOND, THE COMPLEXITY OF CONSTRUCTION DETAILS HAS INCREASED ALMOST IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION DOLLRS. THIRD, THE GREATLY INCREASED VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION NECESSITATES MORE ADVANCE PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING TO INSURE THAT PROJECTS ARE ASSIGNED PROPER PRIORITY AND THAT PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING WORK IS ADVANCED TO CONFORM WITH FUTURE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. THE FOURTH MAJOR CAUSE FOR THE REORGANIZATION STUDY RESULTS FROM A PERSONNEL PROBLEM, NAMELY, SHORTAGE OF ENGINEERS AND SUBPROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING ASSISTANTS. THE GOAL IN THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION IS TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: (1) TO DISTRIBUTE THE WORK LOAD AMONG A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF TOP LEVEL PERSONNEL IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO GIVE PROPER THOUGHT AND ATTENTION TO ALL MATTERS FOR WHICH THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. AMONG THE NEW POSITIONS PROPOSED IN THIS CATEGORY IS A DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER AND THREE ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEERS, WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN AUTHORIZED ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, AND THIS CHANGE WILL GIVE THE CHIEF ENGINEER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND MORE TIME ON MATTERS OF POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION. (2) TO ELIMINATE OVERLAPPING FUNCTIONS. (3) TO CREATE NEW DIVISIONS, WHICH WILL EXPEDITE, EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK. ONE OF THE PROPOSED NEW DIVISIONS IS THE PLANNING DIVISION, WHOSE FUNCTIONS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN PART BY SEVERAL EXISTING DIVISIONS; PROJECT, TRAFFIC, MAINTENANCE AND OTHERS. (4) TO PROVIDE AN ORGANIZATION WHEREIN EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL REPORT TO ONLY ONE SUPERVISOR AND BOTH EMPLOYEE AND SUPERVISOR WILL HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FACT, AS THE DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES CLEARLY INDICATES. (5) TO PROVIDE ALL KEY PERSONNEL WITH ASSISTANTS WHO WILL BE QUALIFIED AND AUTHORIZED TO ASSUME THE DUTIES OF THE HIGHER GRADE POSITIONS DURING THEIR ABSENCE. (6) TO JUSTIFY THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PERMANENT POSITIONS ON AN AUTHORITATIVE BASIS.