The MN DOT is making a huge mistake when it decides to withdraw funds for a dedicated radio-based traffic information system (now provided on KBEM). A DOT spokesman says:
" 'Over those 15 years there's been a lot more services added that is available to the public from other radio stations, TV stations, our 511 phone service and Internet has really expanded options for travelling information,' (the DOT spokesman) said." A dedicated radio provider like KBEM provides far better _useful_ traffic information than any of the other services mentioned by the DOT spokesman. When you're in the car, TV stations and Internet sites aren't terribly practical. (My cell phone is web-enabled with a fairly decent browser, but somehow the idea of using that to get traffic info while on the go is antithetical to traffic safety) My experience with commercial radio stations that provide traffic information is that the information is too brief and not terribly useful. The 511 service is frequently difficult to use (the voice recognition software seems error-laden) and the data is not particularly timely (nothing like hearing that the freeway you're crawling along is described as "clear" on the telephone service). If you agree that the best way of providing traffic information (at what seems to be a fairly reasonable cost per day), contact Carol Molnau, Commissioner of the Department of Transportation e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] telephone: 651-296-3000 and/or Bob McFarlin, Assistant to the Commissioner for Transportation Policy and Public Affairs Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Telephone: 651-297-3099 Mailing address for either is: Minnesota Department of Transportation 395 John Ireland Boulevard Mailstop 100 Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155-1899 REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
