The new online trip planner offers real-time information about accidents, construction work and other delays along any route the driver chooses.
It also gives immediate access to highway cameras showing traffic along the way, and — if the driver wants — points out service plazas, rest areas or Park-And-Ride lots on the route.
"Now you can get as much or as little information as you want — it's completely customizable, and it will even save your settings and preferences for the next time you use it," said Kevin Nursick, a spokesman for the state transportation department.
CT Travel Smart will have state data that third-party apps, such as Waze and Google Maps, do not. "The beauty of our system vs just an app is that our highway operations center collects real-time information 350-plus traffic cameras as well as our roadway speed sensors," Nursick said. "This is verified, vetted data that's available instantly."
For the DOT, CT Travel Smart is more than just another public service. If enough people use the information, it will actually reduce congestion and traffic backups by diverting drivers from the worst spots long before they get there, Nursick said.
The service is free and can be reached from computers, tablets or smartphones. Information will be continuously updated throughout every day of the year, and the DOT says users can count on one thing above all else: accuracy.
When the agency debuted the website cttravelsmart.org on Tuesday, Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said it would give drivers "accurate, verified, up-to-the-minute information regarding traffic information and road conditions."
The DOT is relying on its network of traffic-monitoring technology as well as updates from DOT workers and state troopers on the road.
Users don't have to register to use the system: Just type in the starting and ending points to see the quickest route. A menu on the right side of the page allows users to add features to the map, such as nearby weather advisories or the closest ferry terminals, train stations and airports.
Commuters or anyone making the same trip again and again will get the best results by registering on the page. Once an account is created, the system will store details on any route the user selects. At the next visit, it will immediately show that map along with whatever details were requested, such as data on average road speed.
"When you have your routes set up, you can tell us how you want to receive notifications (of accidents, road work or other delays) — email or text.
"You can specify when you get those notifications — say every day between 7 and 9 a.m., and then between 4 and 6 p.m.," Nursick said. "So if you're a commuter, you don't have to be getting messages or emails at all hours of the night — only during whatever time frame you like."
©2017 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
