Spring break travelers make the most of Alabama interstates and highways at this time of the year. With so many vehicles heading to the state’s beautiful beaches, lakes and golf courses, traffic congestion is inevitable. But with ALGO Traffic, drivers have the power to keep traffic moving and reach “destination FUN” safely.
The Alabama Department of Transportation offers the free ALGO Traffic app and website to motorists, where they can find real-time road conditions. With this information at their fingertips, travelers can map out the least congested route and find rest area locations and weather alerts.
Brett Sellers, ALDOT’s State Transportation System Management and Operation Engineer (TSMO), said the site doesn’t cover every road in the state but covers interstates and uses an algorithm to decide which other highways and roads to cover. These are based on factors like volume of traffic, which is typically located in more urban regions. With ALGO, a traveler can find travel times on all interstates. For example, it will tell you in real time how long it would take you to travel from Birmingham to Montgomery on I-65.
The program has grown since its start and also covers some more rural areas.
The ALGO Traffic site, as it stands today, offers a real-time look at traffic reports, road work, crashes, weather alerts, and just about any other thing that could potentially have an impact on traffic.
Everything we post has been verified by multiple processes. You can trust the information we provide.
Brett Sellers, State Transportation System Management and Operation Engineer
Know before you go
Even beyond spring break travels, commuters will find value in the “alerts” feature in ALGO. With this feature, drivers can select an area they want to travel and the times they would like to be alerted of traffic conditions. For example, set alerts for morning and evening commutes.
“Say I wanted to go to Costco on my lunch break. I could type the address in on my phone, and it will give me three options for routes to get there. Within those options, some will have options to view cameras, so I can view the traffic right there,” Sellers said.
Drivers can select the types of alerts they would like to receive – choosing from things like traffic reports, weather reports, roadwork, and travel times. These reports are texted to the individual’s phone, so he or she can have time to make adequate travel plans.
Traffic info you can trust
While Google Maps, which many travelers already use, does offer some pretty good detail on things that may hinder road travel, Sellers said there are times Google doesn’t always have all the updates. He said they are quick to report roads closed but not always quick to report them back opened.
Sellers said the ALDOT teams work to have things updated as close to real time as possible, operating within a 10-minute window.
He said his team also uses a variety of sources to make its reports. These include views from cameras, GPS speed data, law enforcement updates from 911 calls, and even information posted on social media.
“Everything we post has been verified by multiple processes. You can trust the information we provide,” Sellers said.
Of course, ALGO doesn’t seek to replace sites like Google or Apple Maps, but rather to collaborate with them, sharing data but keeping up to date with state specific information.
The site also posts Amber Alerts so travelers can be on the lookout for any missing child reported in the state.
Another feature available on this site is an option for feedback. Specifically, visitors of Alabama’s Rest Areas. Travelers can give their opinions on their experience at those stops through ALGO’s site.
ALGO Traffic was started in 2016. The goal of ALGO is helping Alabama’s residents and travelers make it to their destinations as safely and efficiently as possible.
As a reminder Alabama has a new hands-free law, which means no holding a cell phone to talk, text or search traffic while driving. Ask for a little help from a friend, and put passengers to work if there’s a need to consult ALGO on the go.
