Technology is being deployed on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line to help crews work more efficiently to keep the roads open and safe during a winter storm.
Preparations are underway Thursday to battle a potential ice storm this weekend in the Kansas City area. Many of the high-tech tools available to state and city crews monitoring the storm also are available to the public for weekend travels.
Both Kansas and Missouri have a network of pavement sensors that monitor temperatures on roads and bridges. And when it comes to ice, a temperature difference of one or two degrees can make a world of difference between safe travel or black ice.
Some sensors also can even tell whether the roadway is wet, icy or has been treated with deicing chemicals.
The Missouri Department of Transportation is in the process of installing more sensors on bridges and curves that are known to be trouble spots.
Drivers can see real-time video of what road conditions look like on the KC SCOUT network.
