ODOT Testing Real-Time Traffic Updates On Tulsa Message Boards

<p>Right now, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is testing real-time traffic updates on its messaging boards across Tulsa.</p>

Monday, March 28th 2016, 6:32 pm

By: News On 6


The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is trying to keep you out of gridlock for your evening commute.

Right now, it's testing real-time traffic updates on its messaging boards across Tulsa.

It’s only a test, but soon, the message boards that alert you to emergencies will give a heads up on drive times.

It will show the commute times during the morning and evening rush hours, and that's exactly what drivers like Cheresse Johnson want.

"That would be excellent, that way you'll know what's up ahead of you and you can really determine, you know, what time you're going to be there," she said.

Right now, in Tulsa, the boards alert drivers about major road hazards and Amber and Silver alerts; but the real-time traffic updates went live in the Oklahoma City metro two years ago.

3/28/2016 Related Story: Tulsa Highway Message Boards To Display Traffic Delay Times

ODOT said traffic data comes from cell phone pings and is posted on the boards from its monitoring facility.

"We're hoping that the drivers can see that there might be congestion up ahead, they can then choose an alternate route or be better prepared through that heavier traveled area," said ODOT spokeswoman, Kenna Carmon.

ODOT said the commute times could be a little off for the first run.

"We hope the testing today and tomorrow will give us some good results, but, then again, we're fine tuning this," Carmon said.

It's a service Johnson can't wait to have.

"I take the highway every day - 75 or 44, I'm on either one and 44 is hectic, even 169 is crazy, so that will give me a heads up so I know which direction to go in the morning," she said.

Testing continues Tuesday and it should go live sometime later this spring.

In the meantime, you can always find News On 6 live traffic updates here.

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