New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn today announced an innovative service that provides travelers across the state with up-to-the-minute transportation information through short, electronic messages regarding significant travel disruptions, such as highway accidents or lane closures. The service, called TransAlert, is distributed through the State Emergency Management Office’s (SEMO) NY-ALERT system and is available through free subscriptions.

“The TransAlert system disseminates real-time transportation information that will help reduce congestion and delays by keeping travelers informed and encouraging them to avoid disruptions by using alternative routes or transportation modes,” Commissioner Glynn said at a morning news conference at NYSDOT’s Albany headquarters. “Through Governor Paterson’s leadership and our partnership with the State Emergency Management Office, we are providing a cutting-edge communications initiative that improves the safety, efficiency and reliability of the state’s transportation system as the busy summer travel season begins.”

Subscribers can sign up to receive TransAlert messages via email or text messages. Users can customize the service to receive statewide alerts or narrow the service by county.

New York State Police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt said, “The State Police supports the use the NY-ALERT information system, which will provide real time traffic information to motorists of road closures, delays caused by accidents or other police activity. This advanced notification will afford a driver the opportunity to seek alternate routes and minimize traffic congestion.”

TransAlert messages, which are created at NYSDOT’s regional offices and Transportation Management Centers across the state, have been issued to a test audience of approximately 600 subscribers for more than a year. Depending upon the geographic area selected, subscribers may receive up to half a dozen alerts each day, but could receive more during events with widespread transportation impacts, such as floods or snow storms.

“This new and innovative service will help commuters and travelers avoid unexpected delays and lane closures. Drivers should not wait to sign up for this useful and valuable service,” said John A. Corlett, director of Government Affairs for AAA New York.

TransAlert is at the vanguard of NYSDOT’s development of a comprehensive 511 Traveler Information Program, which will be expanded in the coming year. NYSDOT also provides real-time travel information on its Web site at www.travelinfony.com. Trip information should not be accessed while driving, but could be monitored before leaving for a trip, during a stop, or by a passenger.

TransAlerts focus on highway incidents and significant events on other transportation modes to the extent that NYSDOT is made aware of them.  As the 511 system is deployed, TransAlerts will evolve to include more comprehensive, multi-modal information.

NY-ALERT, which was unveiled by SEMO last year, offers one-stop access through which state agencies, and county and local governments, emergency service agencies and institutions of higher learning can provide emergency information to a defined audience for a variety of circumstances, including weather, security and transportation conditions. It is part of the state’s ongoing commitment to provide citizens with information so that they will understand risks and threats they may face on a daily basis and know how to respond in a timely and appropriate way.

To date, NY-ALERT has more than 1.4 million subscribers, in addition to being used on 55 campuses of the State University of New York, 23 campuses of the City University of New York and in 25 counties across the State.

To sign up to receive TransAlert messages or to get more information, visit www.nyalert.gov. Subscribers may customize the messages they receive by county, incident severity and by four incident types: road closure, blocked lane, disruption/unexpected delay or other, such as emergency truck route restrictions or severe weather conditions. That customization is available to new subscribers on the NYALERT Web site under the ‘Category’ drop-down menu where the four NYSDOT TransAlert options are displayed.