This year is heating up fast with the addition of twenty-eight new wireless hot spots across the state providing internet access in rural areas along several interstates for the Missouri State Highway Patrol and MoDOT . These new hot spots improve safety and traffic flow and help employees work more efficiently. They are a result of a partnership between the MSHP and MoDOT.

 

“We recognized the benefits of providing wireless connectivity to all our staff when they are in the field,” says Eileen Rackers, MoDOT state Traffic Division engineer. “By providing this technological tool, we can improve work efficiencies for field staff, safety along the interstates, traffic flow, and our ability to provide real-time information to the public.”

 

The 28 sites are located in rural areas along interstates 70, 44, 29, 35 and 55 and provide network access for MoDOT employees similar to a work computer at home or in the office. Spots were chosen in eight districts where safe areas exist for staff to pull off the interstate and access MoDOT’s network to work from their vehicle. The locations have nearby commuter parking lots, rest areas and other safe areas to park.

 

“This is a natural extension to a workforce that is extremely mobile,” says Mike Miller, MoDOT director of the Information Systems Division. “And it continues our partnership with the Patrol, building on earlier work that connects their buildings to our network."

 

MoDOT also has coordinated this effort with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for troopers who work the interstate highways. Currently troopers are required to travel to their local zone offices to download data from their mobile computers. With these new hot spots, troopers could park within range of the hot spots, connect, and download everything from daily reports to in-car video.

 

“This is truly an example of how inter-agency cooperation and sharing of resources can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of employees,” says Captain Kim Hull, director of the MSHP Communications Division. “Anytime we can decrease the time an officer spends in the zone office on reports, increases the time the officer is able to spend on the highways promoting safety.”  

 

MoDOT staff began evaluating potential sites last fall, based on fiber access and safe access for employees to pull off the road. These locations are aligned with the closed circuit television locations currently being installed, due to the fiber connectivity at these sites.