Maryland Adopting Pennsylvania Alert System Allowing Officials to Communicate with Stranded Motorists

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511PAConnect
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After around 500 vehicles ended up stranded on the Pennsylvania turnpike in 2016, some of them for over a day, Pennsylvania transportation officials realized they needed to find a way to directly communicate with motorists in such situations, writes Katherine Shaver for The Washington Post.

511PAConnect

They had developed the 511PAConnect system with a New Jersey-based Information Logistics that does just that.

The system sends an alert to all the cellphones in the area of a prolonged road closure that contains a description of the issue and a link to sign up for text message updates.

Motorists can then text directly with state highway officials and inform them of their location or if they need any kind of help.

“The 511PAConnect system enabled us to get the information to the motorists directly, without them having to do anything,” said Douglas Tomlinson, Pennsylvania’s chief of highway safety and traffic operations.

“We can send them a message and let them know if they want additional information, here’s a link they can click to find out more moving forward,” he said.

A similar program has already been implemented in New Jersey and Georgia, while Maryland is planning to implement the system this summer.

Read more about 511PAConnect in The Washington Post.

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