ADOT Now Provides Freeway Travel Times
on Overhead Message Boards

On January 22, ADOT launched a program that provides travel time estimates for freeway corridors in the Valley. Travelers will see travel time estimates for selected freeway corridors inbound toward downtown during the morning commute (6 a.m. to 9 a.m.) and outbound to various locations during the afternoon/evening commute hours (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.). These travel time messages will only be posted on weekdays during the peak rush hours. If there is an incident, closure, AMBER Alert, special event, or emergency message, those messages will be displayed instead of travel times.

The ability to provide travel time estimates is a result of the real-time data about freeway travel conditions coming in to ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center. ADOT’s Freeway Management System collects freeway speed and flow information every 20 seconds; this data can then be used to generate estimates of travel times for specific segments of the freeway. This initial pilot test for travel times is limited to those freeway corridors where ADOT has sensors in place. This data is continually monitored, and freeway travel time estimates are updated every minute.

This may be the first time that many Valley commuters have seen freeway travel times displayed on the overhead message boards. The travel time program builds on the 5-1-1 and www.az511.gov phone and Web-based traveler information tools operated by ADOT.  

"This is another innovation we are testing to help ease your daily commute. We want to help drivers make decisions that reduce their time in congestion," said Victor Mendez, director of ADOT. "We will continue to look at successful strategies in other regions and our own innovations to provide the information drivers need, whether on the road or from their offices."

ADOT will be evaluating several aspects of the travel time program over the next several months. Feedback from commuters who typically use the Valley freeways on weekdays is a very important component to ADOT’s evaluation and assessment of how the program is working. To provide your feedback to ADOT, please take this short and anonymous survey.

To find out more about ADOT’s freeway travel time program, please check out the Frequently Asked Questions.