Skip to main content

West Virginia state-wide 511 traveller information system launched

West Virginia’s state-wide 511 traveller information system, designed and deployed by intelligent transportation systems (ITS) provider Open Roads Consulting, has been unveiled by Governor Earl Tomblin and Secretary of Transportation Paul Mattox. The comprehensive system provides everything drivers need to know for a smooth commute: real-time traffic information including updates on congestion, crashes, construction, lane closures, road conditions and severe weather. It covers all of West Virginia’s interst
December 21, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
West Virginia’s state-wide 511 traveller information system, designed and deployed by intelligent transportation systems (ITS) provider 5660 Open Roads Consulting, has been unveiled by Governor Earl Tomblin and Secretary of Transportation Paul Mattox.

The comprehensive system provides everything drivers need to know for a smooth commute: real-time traffic information including updates on congestion, crashes, construction, lane closures, road conditions and severe weather. It covers all of West Virginia’s interstates and other major highways.

The 511 system offers four convenient ways for travellers to access free roadway information: by calling 511 toll-free from any landline or mobile phone; visiting their WV511.org online; downloading the free WV 511 Drive Safe mobile app for Android and iPhone devices available at WV511.org/mobile; and following one of twelve WV Twitter feeds at WV511.org/Twitter. In addition to traffic information, the 511 system offers public safety alerts, including Amber and Silver alerts.

West Virginia Department of Highways (WVDOH) traffic engineering director Cindy Cramer heralded the new system and its critical role in a recent public safety incident that also impeded traffic. “We are thrilled to publicly launch the statewide 511 system,” she said. “All of us at the WVDOH are appreciative of the commitment and dedication of the Open Roads consulting team in delivering a fully functional 511 system that proved to be an invaluable tool in assisting the public at the time of the natural gas line explosion that recently closed a portion of I-77 near Sissonville. The new 511 system will support the continued growth of WVDOH’s ITS technology program.”

Bruce Kenney, ITS coordinator and systems management engineer at WVDOH said the new 511 enhances existing systems to provide timely traffic and travel information to all users of the highways. “With the new 511 system designed and deployed by Open Roads Consulting and being hosted by them, the Transportation Management Center operators will be able to distribute information to all our stakeholders, both internal and public. The system has been designed to integrate with the existing state-wide advanced transportation management system also deployed by Open Roads Consulting, with WVDOH ITS field devices including 911/CAD data providing information to many other stakeholders including the trucking industry, 1742 Department of Homeland Security and the Parkways Authority,” Kenney said.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Conscience versus convenience
    June 8, 2015
    David Crawford looks at new ways forward for public transport. By 2025, nearly 60% of the world’s population will be living in towns and cities, increasing their extent and density, and the journeys that people make within and between them. In response, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) wants to see public transport’s global modal share doubling (PTx2) by the same date. “Success in 2025,” a spokesperson told ITS International, “will save 170 million tonnes of oil equivalent and 550
  • Work to begin on North Virginia highway improvements to ease congestion
    August 2, 2016
    Work will begin this summer on the first major improvements to US Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway, Virginia, in 15 years. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) project is part of a comprehensive initiative to transform the I-66 corridor, giving commuters and other travellers a variety of fast and reliable choices for getting to and from work. Toll revenues will fund multimodal improvements, giving commuters expanded options for travel. To jumpstart the process, the Commonwealth Transp
  • New thinking needed on the transportation front
    December 10, 2014
    Having spent his working life in transportation, Larry Yermack gives his views on today’s technology challenges. I remember it vividly; it was the late 80s, soon after I started as CFO of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority and I was standing mid-span on the deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge on a Friday afternoon.
  • Iteris deploys roadway sensors across Hawaii and Guam
    August 24, 2020
    Partnership will help remedy long-term infrastructure issues, firm says.