New 511 system helps N.B. motorists

12/16/2009

New Brunswick motorists now have instant access to the latest road conditions across the province by dialing 511 on their cellphones.

They simply dial the number, then select the highway route number theyre interested in, said Transportation Minister Denis Landry, who announced the new service Friday in Hanwell.

Sometimes the weather changes from one end to the other and if Im in my car and have my cellphone, I would be able to call them and see exactly whats coming up there, he said.

The year-round bilingual service, which also provides information about traffic snarls, road construction delays and ferry service, can also be accessed over the internet.

It cost about $83,500 to implement, an amount that is being shared by the Department of Transportation and Transport Canada, said Landry.

New Brunswick is the fourth jurisdiction in Canada to offer the 511 service, after the Yukon, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Motorists will also be able to use the system to alert officials about road problems, or sudden weather changes they encounter, said Landry.

This past spring in Campbellton, a taxi driver called us to let us know that a bridge had washed out. Things like that, that people see that were not aware of. Somebody can get there before the Department of Transportation, can get there or the RCMP. This is where theyll be able to call. Its easy to remember. Its 511.

If you have something to report, something thats not normal, to see a bridge thats collapsed or something like that, that were not aware of, a tree thats across the street. You never know what can happen, or an accident꿚his will be one of the great systems.

Public Safety Minister John Foran said the new system will also help police forces across the province.

Its going to give them an opportunity themselves probably to check roads out when they start out on their patrols and be able to be prepared for certain areas that may be worse than others and they may be getting calls to those areas, he said.

So theyll be more aware of it when they start, you know. Thats one advantage I see.

The second is that were sandwiched between the provinces of Nova Scotia and Quebec, who already have this, you know. So its going to fall in line with that. So I think its a great initiative.

(source:www.cbc.ca)