The Department of Transportation and Works has launched a new service to provide up-to-date information to help residents and tourists make more informed decisions before they travel.
NL 511 is a new smartphone app, website and phone number with information on winter driving conditions, construction updates, highway cameras, major incidents, current ferry status updates, and weather.
Users will be able to access these services by:
- Using the smartphone app;
- Visiting the new website at nl511.ca ; and
- Dialing 5-1-1 to get key non-visual information over the phone.
The app, which is free of charge and is available on smartphone app stores, can be customized by users to display specific features and to receive notifications for updates on highways they use frequently, such as highway closures and when travel is not recommended.
Other features include a list of recently viewed highway cameras and the map of the province displaying highways in different colours based on driving conditions. For example, during winter storms, portions of the highway may be seen as blinking to indicate reduced visibility.
In addition to the smartphone app, website and 511 phone system, urgent travel updates will continue to be provided via the department’s Twitter account, @TW_GovNL .
In April 2019, the department awarded a contracted valued at $685,000 over five years to Telenium Inc. to provide the service.
The NL 511 app is another example of the Provincial Government’s commitment to expanding digital service delivery. Government is also advancing a Digital Way Forward Plan that will improve interactions with residents and businesses by making it easier to access important services. At the end of this five-year plan, a significant number of programs and services will be available online through MyGovNL as part of the new approach of “One Client. One GovNL. One Relationship.”
Quote
“This new service will provide people with important highway safety information, such as where to expect highway construction in summer and where heavy snowfalls and strong winds may be creating dangerous driving conditions in winter. It will also provide easy access to highway camera images, weather updates, ferry information and upcoming highway construction. While this information will be readily accessible on smartphones, we encourage everyone who uses the app to use it wisely and drive responsibility.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Transportation and Works
– 30 –
The Way Forward: A Vision for Sustainability and Growth in Newfoundland and Labrador
Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @TW_GovNL
Media contact
Brian Scott
Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 725-9201
brianscott@gov.nl.ca