Innovation Description and Benefit:

Under the federal Highway Beautification Act and state statutes, MoDOT is required to provide effective control of outdoor advertising.  To ensure compliance, outdoor advertising (ODA) staff maintain an inventory system for over 11,000 permitted signs and conducts regular surveillance covering approximately 9,162 centerline miles.  Permitted signs are inspected during the same month/year biennially. 

Traditionally, ODA staff used a still camera to photograph both the front and back of each permitted sign during the biennial inspection process, which involved stopping along high traffic areas, entrances, and parking lots to photograph the sign from their vehicle. ODA staff recently began using a dash camera for the biennial inspection process that attaches to the passenger side window of the car and allows staff to drive the controlled route while recording video of the permitted signs. When photo snips are prepared, they are uploaded into TMS.

Using the dash camera simplifies work, improves safety, saves time and money by allowing the camera to record while driving and avoiding the driver having to pull over on the shoulder and exiting the vehicle along busy roadways to capture the needed images.