LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - The Kansas City Scout System earns top transportation technology
honors from the nation's authority in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) -
ITS America. ITS America chose the Scout traffic management system, among others
throughout the country, as an award finalist in its Public Safety category. Winners
will be announced during the organization's annual meeting May 2, 2005.
Kansas City Scout began operating in January 2004. It is a congestion-management
and traveler-information system implemented by the Kansas and Missouri departments
of transportation (KDOT, MoDOT). It offers KC-area drivers the latest in technology
and communication to help make their freeway travel safer, faster, and more manageable.
Elements include traffic sensors, closed-circuit television cameras, electronic
message boards, highway advisory radio, a real-time traffic web site, and Motorist
Assist and emergency response services.
Those elements merge in a traffic management center (TMC) located inside MoDOT's
district headquarters in Lee's Summit. TMC staff monitor traffic on nearly 80 miles
of Kansas City's most congested freeways and responds to traffic incidents. The
Scout system includes portions of Interstate 435, I-35, US 69 and K-10 in Kansas
and portions of interstates 435, 35, 470, 670, 70; highways 71 and 169; and Route
9 on the Missouri side.
ITS America's "Best of ITS Awards" is the only program in the world that
recognizes the best and brightest of the intelligent transportation community.