Last week’s snowy conditions led to plenty of traffic accidents and lots of frustration and changed plans.
With light snow possible later this week, drivers may again find themselves unsure whether it is safe to take to the roads.
A Texas Department of Transportation spokesman said sometimes the best way to get road condition updates is to turn to one’s cell phone or computer.
“New this year, (motorists) can follow us on Twitter or Facebook,” said Adele Lewis of TxDOT.
Drivers can also visit txdot.gov for the latest driving conditions during inclement weather.
Weather condition information is the latest in an arsenal of new Web site tools designed to make traveling safer for Texas motorists.
The tools will allow website visitors to find lists of congested roadways in the state, look up pavement condition ratings and see how the maintenance funds spent in their area will impact their roadways. The tools — which are linked to the department’s project tracker — were created at the direction of the Texas Legislature.
The idea of sharing congestion data with the public is not new – the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M; University has long-distributed reports on congestion levels throughout the United States, including those levels in Texas. Sharing the information in such an interactive and state-focused manner is always an appropriate exercise, especially in times of tight funding. TxDOT will work with Metropolitan Planning Organizations across the state to align resources to meet the most pressing needs.
TxDOT coordinated with outside research institutions to ensure the accuracy and impartiality of the methodology used in the new tools. While TxDOT tracks pavement quality scores, the Center for Transportation Research, housed at the University of Texas, provided the information to determine the impact of maintenance expenditures based on a formula developed by their researchers. The list of the top 100 most congested roadways was compiled using information from TTI, which creates an annual list of most congested urban areas in the nation based on their calculation of a Traffic Congestion Index.
The new website tools and the TxDOT project tracker are available.
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More ice expected (© Staff photo by Delania Trigg)
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TxDOT announces tools for road condition updates
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