Its a damn shame that Kansas doesn't pay a cent towards the scout system, when easily over 60% of the system is currently on the Kansas side. Leave it to MODOT to spend Missouri taxpayers money on the Kansas side...
What's graciously given to KC, is strong for the region as a whole. Passion and benevolence will one day exeem towards all whom know true adoration. We shall triumph to better the community as One within THINK (ONE) KC.
most reasonable people would probably say "put the system where it's needed the most". from the website:
KDOT and MoDOT joined forces to launch the bi-state, Scout system so they could cover the most congested freeways in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. Studies revealed which freeways are the most heavily traveled, and those are the freeways Scout currently blankets.
im2kull wrote:
Hell, Where's the Scout in Missouri???
Its a damn shame that Kansas doesn't pay a cent towards the scout system, when easily over 60% of the system is currently on the Kansas side. Leave it to MODOT to spend Missouri taxpayers money on the Kansas side...
It's funded mostly by the feds, the rest is split evenly between Kdot and Modot. Any expansions now come from whatever side the expansion happens on. When the first phase opened, it was 50/50. MO and KS had the same number of miles. I think that's still the case. They have since added 635 in KS and are presently adding 470 in MO and now the Northland.
I'm actually quite impressed that Kdot helps fund something that is primarily a MO run organization and the Scout HQ is in Lee's Summit.
Speaking of Scout.
Anybody notice the new VMS signs? There are two on NB 435, one north of 87th and one north of 350. There is also a new one just east of Downtown on EB 70. Two new ones are going up near Strother and 470 and a several are going up with the KCICON Project. Plue five more in the Northland.
GRID wrote:
It's funded mostly by the feds, the rest is split evenly between Kdot and Modot. Any expansions now come from whatever side the expansion happens on. When the first phase opened, it was 50/50. MO and KS had the same number of miles. I think that's still the case. They have since added 635 in KS and are presently adding 470 in MO and now the Northland.
I'm actually quite impressed that Kdot helps fund something that is primarily a MO run organization and the Scout HQ is in Lee's Summit.
Yeah, but the last time I checked the stats MODOT had ponied up 8+ million, and KDOT was still hovering around $750K...which is honestly nowhere near what it should be, given the fact that nearly all of the system is currently covering the KS side.
The project's cost was $43 million.
What's graciously given to KC, is strong for the region as a whole. Passion and benevolence will one day exeem towards all whom know true adoration. We shall triumph to better the community as One within THINK (ONE) KC.
im2kull wrote:
Yeah, but the last time I checked the stats MODOT had ponied up 8+ million, and KDOT was still hovering around $750K...which is honestly nowhere near what it should be, given the fact that nearly all of the system is currently covering the KS side.
Any funds that Modot puts toward the system go to MO side infrastructure. Same with Kdot.
MoDot has spent money to expand ITS east along 70, 470 between 50 and 70, 435 between 71 and the river and the Northland.
KS has only added 635 from 35 to State.
It’s much larger on the MO side now and that gap will only widen since most of the metro is on the MO side.
GRID wrote:
Any funds that Modot puts toward the system go to MO side infrastructure. Same with Kdot.
MoDot has spent money to expand ITS east along 70, 470 between 50 and 70, 435 between 71 and the river and the Northland.
KS has only added 635 from 35 to State.
It’s much larger on the MO side now and that gap will only widen since most of the metro is on the MO side.
You know, if I can find the original star article I will post it...but I remember seeing somewhere that MO chunked out about 3 million to finish the 635 stretch of the scout, after KS started and then balked at finishing it. It would clearly support everything else, as how the system costs $500k or more per mile, and KS has given less than a million towards supporting & building the system (On their side).
What's graciously given to KC, is strong for the region as a whole. Passion and benevolence will one day exeem towards all whom know true adoration. We shall triumph to better the community as One within THINK (ONE) KC.
Plus the cities in Johnson County have their own ITS systems and are heavily involved and probably help fund the any Scout systems in their respective cities.
The MO side cities are pretty much clueless and don’t work with Modot at all, nor do they have their own ITS.
There is a MAJOR difference between how things work on the MO side and the KS side.
For example, Overland Park, Lenexa and Olathe all get very involved in what would be a MODot only issue on the MO side.
The widening of 69, 435 etc in OP is all driven and sometimes paid for by OP. Kdot can’t touch I-35 without working with Lenexa and Lenexa will put a lot of their own money into the project to make it better or kill two birds with one stone.
Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Independence etc don’t have a clue. That’s why Modot does the bare minimum over there. They rebuilt I-70 through Blue Springs for example and didn’t touch the bridges that also needed to be replaced. If Blue Springs were like Lenexa, they would have found a way to deal with the interchanges at the same time, even if it took city money to do it.
The reason I’m telling you this is because much of the reason behind the KS side getting more and better infrastructure upgrades is due to JoCO and the cities demanding it and paying for it. Same deal in much of St Louis County or St Charles County. They why the suburbs in StLouis have new single point interchanges etc while the MO suburbs of KC get bandaids. The cities on the MO side are pretty much clueless, don’t have a plan, don’t work together, don’t have a funding source, local city engineering planning departments don’t hold a candle to those in JoCo etc.
So the Scout will be a little better on the KS side than the MO side for this reason.
Ask the city of Blue Springs about scout along 70 and they probably couldn’t tell you a thing about.
Ask the city of Lenexa or OP and they will tell you they are the ones that practically designed it and will pull of a direct feed to the cameras.
Last edited by GRID on Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I was the one who sent the question in because the informational PDF from the site indicated the system would extended up I-35 to I-434 (the Claycomo/Pleasant Valley area) by the end of 2007. In reality, they need to extend it all the way to 152 because this section of highway does get very congested. I tried to contact the Scout folks twice and received no response hence the email to the WatchDog column.
It will be interesting to see the Scout plans thru 2011.
KC_Hams wrote:
It will be interesting to see the Scout plans thru 2011.
You and me both, although I certaintly wouldn't expect much, if any, serious progress to get done by then.
What's graciously given to KC, is strong for the region as a whole. Passion and benevolence will one day exeem towards all whom know true adoration. We shall triumph to better the community as One within THINK (ONE) KC.
I've been noticing much activity in the highway ROW (right-of-way) in the Northland. After much investigation (and since the KC Scout folks haven't responded to my request), I put together a tentative map of where the new cameras and message boards will be. This isn't final since they're still burying cable.
KC_Hams wrote:
I've been noticing much activity in the highway ROW (right-of-way) in the Northland. After much investigation (and since the KC Scout folks haven't responded to my request), I put together a tentative map of where the new cameras and message boards will be. This isn't final since they're still burying cable.
If you notice a concrete base I've not found, please let me know and I'll add it to the map.
Very cool ham, I had not even noticed these!
What's graciously given to KC, is strong for the region as a whole. Passion and benevolence will one day exeem towards all whom know true adoration. We shall triumph to better the community as One within THINK (ONE) KC.
