Travelers heading to Florida during 2007 for vacation, business or to visit family can save time and stay safer by using the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) free 511 and www.FL511.com Travel Information Service. 511 provides travelers detailed, real-time information on traffic conditions, construction updates, and severe weather alerts on all of Florida’s interstate highways and Florida’s Turnpike.

More than 83 million people are expected to have visited Florida during 2006. More than 93 percent of the state’s visitors are from the United States and Canada, according to VISIT FLORIDA Research. Approximately half of all visitors fly into the state and millions more choose to drive to their destinations.

Those planning to drive to Florida can call 511 from their cellular phone and connect to the Florida system almost as soon as they cross the state line — regardless of their area code or point of origin. The intelligent 511 system recognizes a caller’s location and connects them to the service in their immediate area. Web users can log on to www.FL511.com from anywhere, including Florida’s Wi-Fi-equipped rest areas, to check out conditions along their planned route.

Visitors who plan to fly to Central Florida — the country’s top family vacation destination — can use 511 to easily access detailed local road and transit information, including flight and parking information at Orlando International Airport (OIA). “We encourage people to use the free service to provide a more seamless travel experience,” Carolyn Fennell, OIA’s Director of Public Affairs, said.

The phone system uses voice-recognition so callers simply ask for the roadway for which they wantinformation, followed by a city or county name that is near that roadway. For example, if a caller would like information on I-75 in the Gainesville area, they would say “I-75,” then “Gainesville” to get information on the segment of I-75 that includes Gainesville.

The 511 system gathers and relays information from a sophisticated network of roadside sensors, cameras, weather stations and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) incident reports from all over the state. That information is processed at FDOT’s Regional Traffic Management Center in Orlando and then provided to the 511 phone system and www.FL511.com.

AAA promotes the use of 511 to its members. “Tourists and residents alike appreciate that they can better anticipate travel times to their destinations,” said Kevin Bakewell, senior vice president, AAA Auto Club South. “Just having that information helps reduce the stress of driving.”

Law enforcement officers agree that access to information on the 511 system can make the roadways safer for everyone. “Traffic congestion can lead to accidents, which can lead to even more congestion,” said FHP Major Ernesto Duarte. “If drivers can use 511 to plan a better route, everyone wins.”

Today, 31 state and regional 511 systems serve drivers in 25 states. By 2012, drivers will be able to get real-time traffic updates coast-to-coast by dialing 511. Depending on the driver’s location, they will be connected to the 511 service in the region or state in which they are traveling.