What is 511?
Real time traffic and weather information is available by simply dialing 5-1-1 from most phones. The system builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline previously accessed through 1-800 toll free numbers. Updated every few minutes, 511 allows callers to get a variety of information:
- Puget Sound traffic conditions
- Statewide construction & incident information
- Mountain pass conditions
- State's ferry system information
- 800 numbers for passenger rail and airlines
- Weather
- Connection to Oregon's 511 system
How many people call 511?
Totals for December 2008 were 491,885.
How does it work?
Dial 5-1-1 and say "traffic" to receive customized traffic information. Next say the road number, such as "5," and receive up-to-the-minute updates on the road segment you plan to use.
State-of-the-art speech recognition technology allows callers to verbally tell the system what they want, such as "traffic" or "mountain pass" information. The requested information is then "spoken" back to the user. Callers can use key words to quickly navigate the system to the specific road segment for the information sought.
What does 511 offer?
- Ease of use and convenience
- Real-time, accurate, quality road and traffic conditions
- Avoiding traffic congestion and road construction
- Information to help users make informed travel choices
What does it cost to call 511?
- Land line: free.
- Cell phone: counts against minutes, so it is "free" unless you exceed your allocation.
- Pay phone: must pay the local call rate. However, most pay phones do not work with 511. Use toll-free number 1-800-695-7623 (ROAD).
When is a touch-tone option going to be available?
A touch-tone option is now available. The option alleviates problems where background noise exists (such as a car).
Will WSDOT's existing 1-800 hotline still be accessible?
Yes. The existing 1-800-695-7623 (ROAD) traffic and mountain pass number will connect to the 511 system. This number is needed for callers who want to call the Washington State 511 system from outside the state, and for cell phone callers near the Oregon border, and for callers using most pay phones.
Border Issue and Planned Fix
Cell phone users calling in areas close to the borders of Washington State may encounter problems connecting to the Washington State 511 system. In particular, cell phone users in the Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, including the Columbia River Gorge, will most likely get connected to the Oregon 511 system.
For more information contact: Email wsdot511@wsdot.wa.gov.