Christine Langley, director of DOT&PF’s Data, Modernization, and Innovation Office (DMIO), calls Alaska 511 a one-stop location for people to get information about roads and airports throughout the state and parts of Canada. By using the website or phone app, travelers can access current and accurate information about what they may encounter on the way to their destination.

“Many times, people look for information about road conditions on social media or by texting other people,” says Langley. “Our feed will have all the information people need so they can choose the best time and route to travel based on their vehicle and personal risk tolerance.”

Whether using the website or the phone app, travelers can filter information on a full map of the state. In addition to road conditions, users can view traffic speeds, incidents, roadwork and maintenance, weather alerts and forecasts, the status of maintenance vehicles such as snowplows, and more. Users can enter a route and save regularly traveled routes, setting alerts to be sent to a phone or email during a specific time period. “Freight Mode” provides additional information, such as bridge heights and weight restrictions, that is useful to commercial drivers.

Downloading the Alaska 511 app to a mobile phone unlocks additional features. In “Drive Mode,” the app provides real-time alerts to school buses ahead (in the Fairbanks North Star Borough), upcoming bridge heights, and other incidents that may impede or slow traffic. Langley says pi-lit Smart Sequential Road Flares, used by law enforcement and emergency crews, are the latest piece of technology set up to deliver information to the Alaska 511 app. These flares can be set with a directional strobe to help guide traffic visually, while the Alaska 511 app will deliver audible instructions in real time.

“We really want people to use the Alaska 511 app because it provides travel information specific to our state that other apps can’t provide,” says Langley.

DOT&PF relies on crowdsourcing to make sure the statewide map accurately reflects conditions and travel speeds. When a report is received via the app or another source, Langley says app contributors verify the report and its impact on traffic before putting it into the system. In that regard, Alaska 511 is “near-time” and not “real-time.” App contributors include the DOT&PF Maintenance and Operations staff and construction crews who report or input events, provide verification, and keep the DMIO updated on any damaged equipment that could affect service. Other statewide organizations inputting information about crashes and delays include Alaska State Troopers and MATCOM Public Safety Dispatch in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Most recently, Alaska 511 teamed up with the City and Borough of Juneau to relay current information about a recent glacial outburst.

“Every organization we collaborate with contributes the things that most affect their community,” says Isvan Gomez, DMIO statewide intelligent transportation systems coordinator. “In the case of Juneau, we set them up to report directly. Technically, Juneau roads aren’t state roads, but we still wanted to let everyone know what was going on within the city and borough limits.”

Given the size of the state, Gomez says conditions are vastly different between regions, which means that collaborations with communities and organizations are important. Likewise, user reports via the Alaska 511 app are incredibly helpful, especially in remote areas where there are fewer ways to collect data. Though each report might seem like a grain of sand in a state the size of Alaska, he says, they collectively make a big impact on people’s safety.

“This is not some random algorithm producing information,” says Gomez. “This is people on the ground working hard to provide updates. We appreciate people submitting information, and we welcome any new collaborations.”

Prior to working at DMIO, Gomez says he worked as a commercial driver and operations supervisor. At the time, he wasn’t aware of Alaska 511. Now that he knows about it, he feels it’s a resource that could benefit all commercial drivers, which is one of the reasons DOT&PF is working so hard to promote it.

The trucking industry plays a huge role in Alaska’s commerce. Every day, trucks deliver fuel, groceries, and consumer items around the state, ensuring residents have what they need for survival. However, despite a connection to the Lower 48 via Canada, Alaska is still considered a remote environment when it comes to shipping. Any disruption to roads can have dire effects when most stores only have between three and ten days of food supplies on hand.

Jamie Benson, president and CEO of the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA), says Alaska 511 provides important tools that allow commercial drivers to plan their routes and get road condition updates, enabling them to better manage their drive time. For instance, if they learn ahead of time that an avalanche has resulted in a road closure, they can delay their travels down that particular highway.

In addition to using Alaska 511 as a safety measure, ATA participates in a nationwide “Share the Road” education program to teach drivers of all ages safe driving habits around large commercial vehicles. This program includes concepts such as creating space around commercial vehicles. Benson recommends a minimum 2-second following distance when driving behind a truck in ideal conditions, and she recommends more separation time in adverse conditions such as rain, fog, or snow, or when speeds exceed 40 miles per hour. This distance allows the commercial driver to see all traffic around them while in motion.

Benson says DOT&PF does a great job keeping ATA and its members aware of road hazards year-round through Alaska 511 or direct communication with the organization. Cooperation became vitally important during wildfire season this year, when intermittent closures restricted travel through the Interior.

“They relayed information so that we could travel safely through these spaces,” says Benson. “Our relationship allows us to communicate big changes to our member carriers through several channels.”

ATA promotes highway and driver safety as one way to prevent disruptions to the supply chain.

“It’s all about safety,” says Benson. “And a tool like Alaska 511 allows us to do our part to protect our drivers and the general public.”