LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - The Kansas and Missouri departments of transportation will publicly
announce their joint traffic management project, Kansas City Scout, in an official
Launch Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 27, at MoDOT's district headquarters
in Lee's Summit, 600 N.E. Colbern Road.
Kansas City Scout is a congestion-management and traveler-information system that
uses technology to offer area drivers a safer, faster and more manageable freeway
commute. 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.
The Scout system has operated under a test basis since January this year. Scout
staff spent that time fine-tuning operating procedures and policy while also debugging
the highly sophisticated, fully integrated technology Scout employs.
During Monday's event, KDOT and MoDOT will highlight progress of the system, the
further development of its real-time traffic information web site, www.kcscout.net, and announce formalized partnerships created to help Scout
achieve its vision of creating a safer, less-congested and less-polluted freeway
environment.
The 75-mile 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 operations center is inside MoDOT's district
headquarters in Lee's Summit.
The Federal Highway Administration has funded 80-90 percent of the $43 million project,
with the remaining cost shared between KDOT and MoDOT.