Yahoo to Provide Real-Time Traffic News

Monday, December 27th 2004, 10:56 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Many travelers by now are accustomed to getting maps and driving directions on the Internet. A new offering from Yahoo Inc. will now provide real-time traffic conditions as well.

Using information from radio traffic reports, police scanners, embedded road sensors and traffic helicopters, Yahoo will warn motorists of construction and other delays along a planned route. In some cases, the new service will also provide weather advisories issued by state and local jurisdictions.

Yahoo will also provide the current travel speed _ a green dot on the map means 55 mph in that direction; a yellow or red dot means delays. The speed alerts are available for 22 of the more than 70 U.S. metropolitan areas currently covered.

But for now, the service won't be available where it would be most useful: on cell phones and car navigation systems, said Yahoo spokeswoman Terra Carmichael. Those features, she said, may be added later.