NDOT reminds drivers to check 511 for winter driving conditions

Courtesy NDOT

With the busy holiday travel period and the potential for winter driving conditions, the Nevada Department of Transportation is encouraging drivers to visit 511 Nevada Travel Info for updated state road conditions, including signing up for e-mail and text alerts for their own frequently-traveled routes. Launched in 2006, the 511 Nevada Travel Info service allows motorists to dial 511 toll-free, 24 hours a day or log onto nvroads.com for automated road conditions, on-line traffic cameras, roadway weather information, scheduled event road closures, construction updates and more. Out-of-state callers can dial 1- 877-NV-ROADS to receive the same information.

With Nevada law prohibiting use of handheld devices while behind the wheel, NDOT asks motorists to dial or log on before driving. A newer “MY511NV” feature allows drivers to sign up to receive text or e-mail messages regarding roadway chain requirements, weather, incidents, events and construction on their most-traveled routes.

To sign up, users simply log onto nvroads.com, select the “My511 NV” link and register to receive customized reports for state roads of their choice. The alerts are free, excluding text message fees imposed by individual phone carriers.

“We want to make every commute in Nevada as safe and smooth as possible,” NDOT Director Rudy Malfabon said. “Our road maintenance crews dedicate more than 50,000 man hours every year in northwestern Nevada to helping keep winter roads clear. By providing motorists with road conditions and updates before they drive, our 511 system is another way we provide the smoothest and safest drive possible.”

Since debuting in 2006, the 511 service has received more than four million calls. In January and February 2017 alone, the system received more than 165,000 calls for road information. The corresponding nvroads.com website is also widely used, with approximately two million individual users since 2013 and 1.3 million visits in January and February 2017 alone. The service is funded in part by revenues from NDOT’s roadside logo sign program.