MoDOT is governed by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, a six-member board that meets monthly to review and approve projects and policies that guide our daily operations. Here are some quick facts on where the commission came from, who they are and how they operate.

1. The State Highway Commission (as it was called at the time) was created in 1921 as part of the 100th anniversary of Missouri statehood. Its charge was to create a state highway system – road building had been the responsibility of local governments up until that time.
2. Earlier in the 1900s, the state’s limited highway work was part of the Department of Agriculture. Its earliest offices were in the basement of the State Capitol.
3. The commission is bi-partisan, meaning that, by state law, no more than three members can be from the same political party. The intent is to make road building a non-political process.
4. Commissioners are appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate. They serve a six-year term.
5. For all their time and work, commissioners only receive a $25 per diem per month, plus travel expenses.

For more history on the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, as well as some interesting background on our agency’s early days, visit MoDOT’s Web site at www.modot.org/about/commission/CommissionGeneralInfo.htm.