FHWA cites top traveler information Web sites - Management and Administration

Public Roads, Jan-Feb, 2003

In October, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the winners of its 2002 national awards for traveler information Web sites that provide vital information about safety and mobility to users nationwide.

"These outstandling sites were chosen because of their user friendliness, comprehensiveness of information, and real-time reporting," FHWA Administrator Mary E. Peters said.

The winners were recognized formally at the fall 2002 board of directors meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in Anchorage, AK.

FHWA named the following traffic information sites as the top ones in the United States: the Houston (TX)TranStar Web site, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (DOT traffic information Web site, the Oregon DOT Trip Check Web site, and the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee (GCM) Travel Web site, developed by the Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin DOTs.

Houston TranStar (http://traffic.tamu.edu) is a consortium of agencies in the greater Houston, TX, area. The Web site provides information and links related to most modes of transportation, emergency preparedness, and environmental issues. Houston TranStar also has added cameras and links to roadway weather stations.

The Rhode Island DOT traffic information Web site (www.dot.state.ri.us) is known for its cooperation with maintenance and construction departments to provide valuable information for routing and easing commutes. Businesses particularly like the e-mail alerts for routing trucks.

Oregon Trip Check (www.tripcheck.com), developed by the Oregon DOT, helps travelers make smart decisions by linking to more than 100 road cameras, including 45 in rural areas and mountain passes where knowing road conditions can be crucial to safety. Trip Check updates highway information in the regional offices and provides links to transit, ridesharing, bicycle, and airport information.

The GCM Travel Web site (www.gcmtravel.com), developed by the Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin DOTs, is based on extensive data all three States send to a data-sharing system. With this Web site, users can link to information across the entire tri-State priority corridor, including cameras, traffic maps, and messages from dynamic message signs.

Judges evaluated the content on the Web sites for the presentation of information on current conditions, incidents, construction notices, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, tolls, and the extent to which other useful information and links are provided. Usability criteria addressed the organization of information on the site, navigation through the site, and how well the information is described to the users.

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS,) provide data to populate traveler information Web sites. For more information about ITS and the Web awards, visit FHWA's operations Web site at www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov.