LEE'S SUMMIT, MO. – The Kansas City Chapter of the American Public Works Association honored Kansas City Scout with the 2007 Operations Excellence Award
for Scout’s Travel Time Implementation Project. The award recognizes outstanding public works operation programs which improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
governmental operations, and which improves the quality of life for those who live and work within that community.
Kansas City Scout launched Travel Times, a key weapon in congestion management in January of 2007. Travel Times represents the time it takes a driver, driving at
current freeway speeds to travel from one fixed point to another target. Scout’s Travel Times are calculated using the vehicle detector station (VDS) equipment in the roadway.
Travel Time information once calculated by the system is automatically posted and then updated continually on Scout’s Dynamic Message Signs DMS). If data cannot be retrieved
by the system no Travel Times are displayed on that particular DMS to ensure that no misinformation is given to the public.
“This award is truly a team effort and a testament to Scout’s great operational team,” says Scout Director Jason Sims. “Every department in Scout from has to ensure that
operations is the main focus so that Scout can provide the best information to the motorist as possible”
Kansas City Scout is a bi-state traffic management system that uses technology such as closed-circuit cameras, electronic message boards, and sensors to monitor
and manage traffic on more than 90 miles of local freeways. The Kansas and Missouri departments of transportation launched the Scout system in 2004 and jointly maintain and operate it.
(Pictured left is Gina Myles, Kansas City Scout Community Relations Coordinator, with Mark
Hartegan, PE Project Manager from BWR.)