The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently released the latest episode in its “State DOT 2-Minute Update” video series; this one focusing on the South Dakota Department of Transportation.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
In the video, Joel Jundt – secretary of the South Dakota DOT – detailed the agency’s ongoing commitment to improving roadway safety statewide; highlighting the department’s ongoing collaboration with local governments and the implementation of targeted safety strategies, including rumble strips, high friction surface treatments, and new variable speed limits in high crash areas.
Those efforts are designed to slow traffic, improve consistency in driving speeds, and respond to changing road conditions, all with the goal of reducing crashes and saving lives on South Dakota roads, Jundt said.

Named secretary of the South Dakota DOT in March 2021, Jundt – a native of Rapid City – graduated from South Dakota School of Mines in 1985 with a degree in civil engineering.
He’s spent his entire engineering career with the South Dakota DOT, starting as a road design engineer and working his way up to be Rapid City region and operations engineer, director of planning and engineering, and deputy secretary.
Jundt is also currently serving a two-year term as chair of the AASHTO Council on Highways and Streets and was recently named chair of the executive committee for the Transportation Research Board.
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