First there was 911, then 311. Now meet 511.
A new telephone and web service, which will debut in a "test mode" on Monday, will include an automated 511 telephone number and a website, Go511.com, said Jose Ubaldo of Metro.
Both the 511 number and the Go511.com Web site cover Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties; and the website will also cover Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Ubaldo said.
The service will also include information on bicycle routes, links to area airports and taxi services and weather reports.
The 511 number and website are being fine tuned and new features are planned, such as making the information accessible on mobile devices and in Spanish.
"Building new freeways is not the way to beat traffic," said Metropolitan Transportaiton Authority Board Chairman Ara Najarian. "We don't have the money or the land. But thanks to freeway monitoring and other technology, we do have real time information on traffic bottlenecks so we can avoid getting stuck."
During testing, users can give feedback to improve the system. Both the telephone and the Internet connections have prompts for feedback, Ubaldo said.
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The 511 traveler services are provided by the Los Angeles Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies, also known as LA SAFE; in partnership with Metro, the Orange County Transportation Authority, the Ventura County Transportation commission, the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans.
In Los Angeles County, Metro will continue to offer its (800) COMMUTE telephone number, which is staffed by operators weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for information in English and Spanish.
Motorists in some other communities around the country can also use the 511 telephone system for traffic information.
