by Morinville News Staff
Alberta will be the first Canadian jurisdiction with a mobile app that allows motorists to report road conditions.
The new Citizen Reporter app, available for Android and iPhone, will allow Albertans to report on road conditions once they have taken an online training course. Albertans can register online at https://511.alberta.ca/rt/register.
“We all play a part in keeping Alberta’s winter roads safe,” said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation. “By allowing citizens to report on our province’s ever-changing road conditions we can help drivers make safe and better-informed travel decisions that keep Albertans moving all year long.”
Superintendent Ian Lawson with RCMP K Division Traffic Services was also pleased with news of the app. “We are excited about this advancement in the 511 system, and the RCMP is looking to see how it can make use of the new app to better inform the public, as an extension of our traffic safety messaging to all Albertans,” he said.
511 Alberta currently has 138 traffic cameras on the province’s highway network, including the mountain parks. Last year, 511 Alberta added a wind warning system to provide motorists with real-time warnings about high winds in the Crowsnest area on Highway 22.
511 Alberta has also launched an updated website that allows Albertans to track the more than 600 snow plows operated by Alberta Transportation contractors.
