DENVER -- The Colorado Department of Transportation is bringing a popular program on Interstate 70 down to metro area commuters.

Travel time data can be seen now on message boards along C-470, and eventually they will show travel times on the other metro highways. For this initial program, CDOT is displaying travel times on the westbound C-470 sign at West Quincy, providing information on travel time to I-70 and other destinations along I-70. The eastbound C-470 sign between South Quebec and South University will provide the travel time to I-25.

The system collects data from ramp meters, radar beams and toll transponders to determine the travel time from one place to the next. CDOT does not have access to any personal or identifying information on a vehicle and information is deleted from the system within two hours.

The estimated travel time will never be less than the time it takes to drive between the two points above the speed limit.

The one main problem with the system is that it is not predictive. In other words, if you pass a sign that tells you a time -- that is just a snapshot at that point. If there is an accident or other problem, the time might not be the most accurate. CDOT said that problem is more of an issue on rural roads where the distance between two sensors is long.

CDOT paid for the program with general funds and since it already owns the infrastructure the cost is mainly for electricity to power the equipment.

In the coming months and years CDOT will imbed the travel time readout on the large green signs that show you what road is ahead so it would be more useful for metro area commuters who drive shorter segments than drivers in the mountains.

The next phase of the program will incorporate cell phone GPS data that will allow times to be collected on almost any street or highway and expand the travel times to across states or between large cities.

You can see the real time data right now on the CDOT Web site at cotrip.org.