Innovations Challenge recap

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MoDOT held its annual innovations challenge district showcase on Tuesday, Dec. 7. KC Scout submitted two innovations that will now compete against other districts and CO for up to 60 slots at the upcoming Statewide Innovations Showcase in Columbia in April. 

Pothole CPR is an innovation submitted by KC Scout and MoDOT Maintenance with team members including Randy Johnson, Michael Flory, Trisha Sen, Chris Sholl, Stephen Butler, Alfred Battle, David Winship, Greg McDowell, and Carla Fiscus. This innovation was awarded second place in the People's Choice Award category.

The innovation is a tool that allows customers to quickly and accurately report any pavement conditions needing immediate attention.

"The innovation utilizes the popular GPS traveling/crowd-sourcing app called WAZE and allows customers to submit real time data through voice command or with one click of a button," explains KC Scout Manager Randy Johnson.


All of the information is collected over a 24 hour period and sent daliy to MoDOT and KDOT maintenance crews detailing the accurate location of the issue and a Google Earth map file pinpointing the pothole in a geographical representation.

"Over the course of two months, five maintenance crews (MoDOT and KDOT) checked the accuracy of the reported data. Of the 46 locations reviewed, 45 potholes or deteriorated road sections were identified and these problem areas found in the field were within an average of 90 feet of the reported pothole location. This is a win/win for our customers and DOT staff!" explains Johnson.

The KC Scout Interactive Org Chart is also moving on to compete against other district winners. Created by Amy Stevinson, Lairyn McGregor, Nancy Powell, and Randy Johnson, this chart is a way to connect all MoDOT and KDOT employees of KC Scout in one convenient location.

The chart breaks down the chain of communication amongst the team members but also provides contact information, job duties and skills, as well a personal touch of hobbies and interests with just the click of a name.

"This chart is a great resource to both MoDOT and KDOT employees. Because our agency is bi-state and 24/7, there are many employees who never see each other in person. This chart puts a face to the name and provides us with the best way to contact each other," explains Senior Communications Specialist Lairyn McGregor.

Created in Microsoft PowerPoint, this innovation is easily edited as needed and could be replicated and utilized by any department within MoDOT and KDOT.

Congratulations to all of the innovators and thank you for making MoDOT and KC Scout a safer place to work!




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