City provides traffic alerts with high-tech system
by Lily Leung - Aug. 2, 2008 07:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Weather, news and even fitness and diet tips.

Mobile-savvy consumers can receive this data and more through convenient, round-the-clock text messages to their cellphones or computers.

In March, Surprise joined this information-sharing trend by providing its residents with traffic alerts to their mobile phones and e-mail boxes, making it the first city in the Valley to do so.

With an average of 71,000 vehicles zipping along certain parts of Bell Road in Surprise, a fender bender could really tie up traffic, city engineers said. According to the Maricopa Association of Governments, the stretch of Bell Road east of El Mirage Road is considered the busiest surface street in the state.

That key fact is what drove the city to provide subscribers text messages and e-mail alerts on traffic accidents, road closures and recommendations on alternate routes, said City Engineer Bob Maki.

"Because of our limited roadway, the process of going forward, we had to manage traffic as much as we can," Maki said.

Since it was launched, the service has attracted about 600 subscribers - 299 cellphone users and 301 e-mail users, said Chief Information Officer Randy Jackson. So far, only 22 people have unsubscribed, noting the service "seems pretty popular" with residents, he said.

The city's Communications Department developed software for the alert system, while traffic engineers maintain it. Messages are usually sent from the traffic-control center in Surprise City Hall. But members of REACT, or the Regional Emergency Action Coordinating Team, can send out messages from their vans. REACT helps first responders manage and direct traffic at emergency scenes.

When a traffic snarl occurs, an alert about the accident, including cross streets and estimated delay, is sent out. That is followed up with another message when the accident is cleared.

The Surprise Police Department and the city Communications Department are brainstorming a way to broadcast information on certain other police situations and roadblocks.

To subscribe, log on to www.surpriseaz.com, click on Surprise Transportation on the bottom of the page, then click "Sign up for Traffic Alerts" the Valley to do so.

With an average of 71,000 vehicles zipping along certain parts of Bell Road in Surprise, a fender bender could really tie up traffic, city engineers said. According to the Maricopa Association of Governments, the stretch of Bell Road east of El Mirage Road is considered the busiest surface street in the state.

That key fact is what drove the city to provide subscribers text messages and e-mail alerts on traffic accidents, road closures and recommendations on alternate routes, said City Engineer Bob Maki.

"Because of our limited roadway, the process of going forward, we had to manage traffic as much as we can," Maki said.

Since it was launched, the service has attracted about 600 subscribers - 299 cellphone users and 301 e-mail users, said Chief Information Officer Randy Jackson. So far, only 22 people have unsubscribed, noting the service "seems pretty popular" with residents, he said.

The city's Communications Department developed software for the alert system, while traffic engineers maintain it. Messages are usually sent from the traffic-control center in Surprise City Hall. But members of REACT, or the Regional Emergency Action Coordinating Team, can send out messages from their vans. REACT helps first responders manage and direct traffic at emergency scenes.

When a traffic snarl occurs, an alert about the accident, including cross streets and estimated delay, is sent out. That is followed up with another message when the accident is cleared.

The Surprise Police Department and the city Communications Department are brainstorming a way to broadcast information on certain other police situations and roadblocks.

To subscribe, log on to www.surpriseaz.com, click on Surprise Transportation on the bottom of the page, then click "Sign up for Traffic Alerts.