Kansas City Scout Earns National Applause for Public Outreach

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. – Government communicators throughout the country awarded Kansas City Scout top honors for two of its public outreach tools. The National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) recognized Scout with a First Place Blue Pencil Award for its project brochure at its annual conference in Baltimore, MD., May 25. Scout also received NAGC’s Gold Screen Award of Excellence for its project video.

“The awards are a great testament to our team effort here at Scout,” says Scout Director Ray Webb. “We truly strive to meet our public’s needs. Sometimes that’s difficult, and sometimes it’s as simple as letting the public know what we’re all about. That’s why our brochure and video have been so successful.”

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 80 miles of local freeways. The Kansas and Missouri departments of transportation launched the Scout system in 2004 and jointly maintain and operate it.

The NAGC recognizes the best in writing, publications, print-related projects and programs, and campaigns produced by government communicators or for government agencies.

KDOT Construction Places Dynamic Message Sign Out of Service

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - Due to the Kansas Department of Transportaion's construction of the new Antioch interchange on I-435, the Dynamc Message Sign located on I-435 westbound, west of Metcalf, is out of service. At end of Novemeber the sign will be temporarily removed. The sign will return to its original location when construction allows next summer

KDOT, MoDOT Acknowledge Scout's First Year Achievements

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - September 27, 2005, marks the one-year anniversary of the public launch of the Kansas City Scout traffic management system. The Kansas and Missouri departments of transportation will acknowledge the one-year milestone that day at a 10:30 a.m. press conference inside Scout's Traffic Operations Center located at 600 Northeast Colbern Road, Lee's Summit.

The Scout system began limited operations in January 2004 with 75 miles of coverage on portions of Interstates 70, 435, 35 and a handful of other Kansas and Missouri freeways. KDOT and MoDOT publicly launched the fully implemented system September 27, 2004.

Since Scout began its maiden operations it has expanded services -- including it's recent transition to operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and during holidays.

Scout system operators monitor freeway conditions with closed-circuit television cameras and traffic detectors. Those devices help operators determine traffic flow and the location of incidents such as an accident. Operators also post messages on Scout's electronic freeway signs to notify travelers about traffic conditions ahead of them and send updated traveler information to the Scout web site: www.kcscout.net.