Kansas City Scout

KANSAS CITY SCOUT IS KANSAS CITY'S TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM...YOUR #1 SOURCE FOR REAL-TIME TRAFFIC INFORMATION

Monday, April 19, 2010

Work Zone Awareness Week



Posted by Nancy Powell,

Traffic Management Center Supervisor





Kansas City traffic has a rhythmic pattern not unlike its musical roots of blues and jazz. Morning and evening rush hours carry the melody while work zones and lane closures provide varying interludes. From Scout's perspective, the patterns are easily discernable. Traffic System Operators anticipate the changing rhythms and are attuned to detect subtle differences in flow and pattern with the use of sophisticated software tools and trained eyes.

This week all eyes are on the many Work Zones scattered throughout the Metro area. It's spring and that means it's Orange Barrel season! And not just within the city limits of Kansas City. Throughout the country, twenty-five Departments of Transportation are recognizing April 19th through 23rd as "Work Zone Awareness Week." Over 700 people died in highway work zone accidents in the U.S. during 2009 including workers and occupants of vehicles with inattentive drivers behind the wheel.

The sad truth is that these are preventable deaths. Distraction caused by cell phone use while driving is on the rise, especially among younger, less experienced drivers. Be mindful of the messages posted to alert that a Work Zone is in progress. Slow down and stay alert. Let's not be singing the blues this time next year! Get jazzed about attentive driving!




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