In recognition of the important role played by the 511-travel information telephone service to highway travelers, state departments of transportation celebrated “511 Day” across the country on May 11.
[Above photo by the South Dakota DOT]
The Virginia Department of Transportation marked 20 years of providing 511 telephone service to residents and travelers alike this year; a no cost service that provides real-time travel information 24 hours per day, seven days per week – alerting motorists to traffic incidents, construction, and road conditions, while offering the ability to livestream traffic camera video.
The Virginia DOT noted in a statement it also provides a 511 website, 511virginia.org, and a mobile app, VDOT 511 Virginia Traffic, which is available for both Android and iOS operating systems.
Meanwhile, the South Dakota Department of Transportation marked 26 years of providing 511 service to motorists. South Dakota’s 511 traveler information telephone service started as #SAFE (#7223) in November 1996, which then became 5-1-1 in 2001, the agency noted.
The South Dakota DOT noted in a statement that it, too, now offers a 511 website for travelers and that, to date, it has recorded 19 million SD511.org website user engagements.
The Montana Department of Transportation noted in a separate statement that it has provided 13 years of 511 service to its residents and travelers alike and now supports a 511 website as well, called 511MT.net, along with a mobile application, MDT 511, which is available for both Android and iOS.