ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska transportation officials have launched an updated monitoring system providing drivers real-time road and traffic conditions throughout the state.
The Alaska Department of Transportation launched Friday the 511 road condition alert system designed to be more user- and mobile-friendly, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
“The old system was kind of a legacy system,” department spokeswoman Caitlyn Frye said. “It just was not set up how we use the internet and apps today.”
Users can set up notifications and alerts on personalized routes, zoom in and out of the map and click on areas to find out more information, department officials said.
“One of the challenges will be making sure that everyone who is currently using the system knows that they need to sign up again,” Frye said. “There is some concern that people will be traveling over the holidays and not getting the updates they expect.”
The old version was removed from the store and users must download the new version, she said.
The system will show traffic speeds and integrates a Google-owned application Waze allowing users to report road conditions, closures or crashes, officials said.
The system can be accessed by calling 511, visiting 511.alaska.gov or downloading the mobile app from Google Play or the App Store, officials said.
About 450,000 travelers used the 511 website, more than 68,000 calls were made to the 511 phone system and the app was downloaded more than 9,000 this year, department officials said.
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