Key West The Newspaper

Plan Ahead Holiday Traffic with Florida 511

TALLAHASEE – A busy year-end holiday season will bring high traffic volume on Florida highways with more than 4.7 million travelers on the road. Whether you’re driving home or going on vacation during the holidays, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) encourages motorists to plan ahead with its 511 Traveler Information System.

As one of the top travel destinations for holiday travelers, motorists in the state should use FDOT’s 511 Traveler Information System to stay up-to-date on crashes, congestion, construction and more, as well as free phone transfers to Florida’s airports, seaports and neighboring 511 systems in Georgia and Louisiana.

There are five convenient ways for drivers to receive traffic updates:

Call 511 toll free for updates in English and Spanish.

Visit FL511.com for interactive roadway maps showing traffic congestion and crashes, travel times and traffic camera views.

Sign up for a “My Florida 511” account at FL511.com to create custom routes and register for email, text or phone alerts.

Download the free Florida 511 mobile app at Google Play or Apple App Store.

Follow one of the statewide, regional or roadway-specific Twitter feeds:

@FL511_State

@FL511_Panhandle

@FL511_Central

@FL511 I-95

@FL511_Turnpike

@FL511_Southeast

@FL511_Southwest

@FL511_Tampabay

@FL511_Turnpike

@FL511_I-10

@FL511_I-75

@FL511_Northeast

@FL511 I-95Express

@FL511_I-4

Important Travel Tips

• Customize your trip at FL511.com before leaving to minimize time spent on the phone.
• Always wear a safety belt.
• Don’t drink and drive. If alcohol is involved, secure a designated driver or alternative plans to driving.
• Don’t text and drive: If you need to send a text message or look something up on your phone, have a passenger assist you or safely pull over.
• Get enough sleep: If you’re planning a road trip, get enough sleep the night before. If it’s a long drive, plan driving breaks. Aware drivers are safer drivers.
• Use SunPass, the State of Florida’s branded electronic toll collection system, to save time and money. SunPass is also accepted in Georgia and North Carolina. For more information, visit www.SunPass.com.

Florida 511 Features

• Traffic information on all interstate highways, toll roads and many other metropolitan roadways.
• Commuter travel times and reports on crashes, congestion and construction.
• Public transit, airport and seaport information.
• AMBER, Silver and LEO Alerts. America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alerts notify the public of the most serious child-abduction cases. Silver Alerts notify the public when law enforcement agencies are searching for missing adults or citizens with cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Alerts notify the public when law enforcement officers are searching for an offender(s) who has seriously injured or killed a law enforcement officer.
• Travel information, traffic camera views and free personalized services, including customized travel routes and email, text and phone call alerts, available on FL511.com.
• Voice-activated and touch-tone navigation available when calling 511.
• The 511 phone call and FL511.com website are available in English and Spanish.