ORLANDO, Fla. — Commuters and parents alike can expect an increase in traffic beginning this Monday morning as millions of students head back to school. To help everyone prepare for this increase in traffic, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) wants to teach travelers to call 511 or visit FL511.com before getting on the road to learn about traffic conditions. Knowing about congestion and crashes ahead of time can help travelers save time and stay safe.
FDOT recently added personalized features to help back-to-school motorists receive 511 information quickly. With the new, bilingual 511, anyone can sign up for My Florida 511 personalized services and request to receive alerts on their route via phone call, text message or e-mail. Drivers can register to receive alerts based on time of day, day of the week and severity of incident. Those who register can also hear information on their route right away when calling 511. Travelers can create an unlimited number of routes.
"As students head back to school this week, we encourage commuters and families to plan ahead by calling 511 or visiting the FL511.com Web site to learn about traffic conditions before getting on the road," said Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol. "511 is a safety resource and we want everyone to be safe on Florida's roadways."
Florida’s 511 bilingual phone and Web system gives real-time traffic reports on Florida interstate highways; toll roads, including Florida’s Turnpike; and other major metropolitan roadways. The statewide system provides information on roadway conditions such as commuter travel times, construction, lane closures, crashes, congestion and severe weather affecting traffic. Travelers can access traffic, transit, travel times, airports, seaports or request information for a specific roadway, city or county. The system is also updated with public safety alerts, including AMBER, Silver and Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) alerts.
The free 511 system is accessible by cell phone and landline or by visiting www.FL511.com or mobile.FL511.com.
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