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CELL PHONE SIGNALS USED TO MONITOR TRAFFIC ON MISSOURI HIGHWAYS

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Using your cell phone while driving may be a hazard on the road, but it could make your morning commute easier. Lacey Hanson has more from the state capital.

Each time you use your cell phone, it sends a signal to a cell phone tower. The Missouri Department of Transportation hopes to use the data to track the location of drivers in areas of heavy traffic. MODOT spokesman Jeff Briggs says no personal information will be recorded.

"The important thing to know about that data is that it doesn't give us anything like people's names who owns these phones, gives us no phone numbers, nothing at all about anyone personally. It just gives us groups of data that shows average speed and travel time. It's completely anonymous."

The signals will monitor traffic on more than 5,000 miles of heavily traveled highways in Missouri. From Jefferson City, I'm Lacey Hanson.

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Your cell phone might be able to help save you driving time. Missouri has found a new way to monitor traffic flow by using cell phone signals. Lacey Hanson has more from Jefferson City.

A new system next year will monitor the signals from cell phone towers to locate areas of heavy traffic and show delays. Missouri Department of Transportation spokesman Jeff Briggs says some cities have used the systems, but Missouri would be the first to use it across the state.

"We're a nationwide leader in that we're the first to do it statewide."

No personal information such as names or phone numbers will be tracked by the system. From the state capital, I'm Lacey Hanson.

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Using your cell phone while driving on Missouri highways may actually help you avoid a traffic jam. Lacey Hanson has more from the state capital.

The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to begin a new system next year that would use cell phone signals to monitor traffic. MODOT spokesman Jeff Briggs says the system is a cost effective way to show traffic delays.

"The beauty of this new system is it requires no equipment that's not already being used and requires no maintenance and it's much more cost effective that way."

MODOT plans to make the information available through the internet and media traffic reports. From Jefferson City, I'm Lacey Hanson.