Pennsylvania Recognized for Wolf Administration’s 511PAConnect System

Pennsylvania Recognized for Wolf Administration's 511PAConnect System

11/17/2017-HARRISBURG

Less than a year after its creation, Governor Tom Wolf today announced that
the
administration's initiative to provide motorists with information during
long-term road closures, 511PAConnect, has earned several regional and
international transportation awards.

"Following Winter Storm Jonas, I asked our agencies to develop a tool to
better
keep drivers informed about the status of accident cleanup and highway
reopening and 511PAConnect was the innovative response," said Governor
Wolf.
"511PAConnect is the first initiative of its kind to link directly to a
targeted group of travelers who are being impacted by, or who are
approaching,
a large-scale emergency."

Coordinated among the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT),
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), Pennsylvania State Police,
and
PA Turnpike Commission, the service recently earned four awards:

• 2017 Toll Excellence Award for Technology from the International Bridge,
Tunnel and Turnpike Association;
• 2017 Transportation Achievement Award for Operations from the Institute
for
Transportation Engineers;
• Outstanding ITS Project for 2017 from the Intelligent Transportation
Society
of New Jersey; and
• 2017 Project of the Year from the Mid-Atlantic Section of the Institute
of
Transportation Engineers.
•
Through 511PAConnect, personnel from the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation and the PA Turnpike identify a potential long-term closure
and
notify staff at the 24-hour Commonwealth Watch and Warning Center at the PA

Emergency Management Agency, who issue an initial location-based alert to
motorists in the area of the closure. Law enforcement also uses the
alerting
system to issue Amber Alerts for missing children.

"Governor Wolf tasked us with developing a service that would provide
travelers
and our agencies alike with valuable information during an incident,"
PennDOT
Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. "511PAConnect meets that goal and also
aims
to reach other motorists before they reach the impacted area so they can
potentially avoid the incident altogether."

Motorists who receive the alert have the option of registering for
automatic
text messages or phone call updates. Follow-up notifications are generated
by
Turnpike and PennDOT staff monitoring the closure. Once the incident is
resolved, motorists who registered for the alerts are automatically
unsubscribed and all personal data is scrubbed from the system.

"Being caught in any type of extended roadway closure is stressful for
travelers who may be unfamiliar with their location as well as concerned
how
long the closure will last," said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "It's
comforting to know that someone is aware of your situation and you are
receiving updates and regular safety messages. This can ease some of the
stress
and help to make stranded motorists feel better connected."

PennDOT and the Turnpike offer a variety of tools to keep travelers
informed
during all levels of incidents — including the 511PA smartphone app, phone
number, online sources and social media platforms — but 511PAConnect was
the
first initiative of its kind to link directly to a targeted group of
travelers
who are being impacted by, or who are approaching, a large-scale emergency.

"The 511PAConnect initiative was a collaborative effort that shows how
state
agencies can work together effectively for improved customer service to
motorists," said PEMA Director Richard D. Flinn Jr. "We are thrilled that
the
hard work our teams did is being recognized by other groups."
Since the service was launched, PennDOT and the PA Turnpike used it a
combined
five times from December 2016 through March 2017. During four incidents, an

average of 77 people opted in for follow-up incident messaging over an
average
of 222 minutes. The system was also activated to inform travelers of a
planned
exit closure in January.

"We are proud to work together with our government partners to create such
a
useful service to keep motorists aware and safe", said Pennsylvania State
Police Commissioner Tyree C. Blocker. "511PAConnect allows motorists to
receive
instant notifications regarding extended road closures and even Amber
Alerts,
which could prove invaluable when a child goes missing."

MEDIA CONTACTS:
J.J. Abbott, Governor's Office – 717-783-1116
Erin Waters-Trasatt, PennDOT– 717-783-8800
Rosanne Placey, Turnpike Commisson – 717-831-7507
Ruth A. Miller, PEMA – 717-651-2009
Cpl. Adam Reed, State Police– 717-787-3159


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