Travel Alert!

We've compiled the following from the questions we routinely get from the public regarding our website and other Georgia DOT functions. If you've looked here and still cannot find an answer to your question, please feel free to drop a note to the webmaster and we'll see what we can find.

• When will there be coverage in my area?
• Why are certain devices not working?
• Why am I getting camera images from previous days when I try to check current conditions?
• How often do the cameras refresh?
• How often are the average speeds refreshed on the map?
• Is the speed information used to ticket drivers?
• Can I call 511 to request HERO assistance?
• I recently was assisted by a HERO, how can I send my comments to the HERO Unit?
• I would like to tour the TMC, who should I contact to make arrangements?
• When I drove under a changeable message sign, the message said it would take 10 minutes to reach the next point, but it took much longer than that. Was the sign not working?
• How can I tell which direction a camera is facing?
• How accurate is construction information?
• Does Georgia Navigator have anything to do with Gator tracking software?
• Why is there a gap in the I-285 coverage near Memorial Drive in Dekalb County?

NAVIGATOR was conceived and is being built as a statewide system. The earliest deployments were in metropolitan Atlanta in preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Following the Olympics, the Atlanta-area system was expanded from a coverage area of 45 miles of freeway to today's coverage of approximately 180 freeway miles. Additionally, there is full ITS coverage on I-475 in the Macon area. Continuous expansion is taking place, with a priority on areas that experience the heaviest congestion.

We are in the midst of the Governor's Fast Forward program - a congestion-relief initiative designed to accelerate eighteen years' worth of projects into just six years. Many of the Fast Forward projects are related to Navigator expansion. We expect to basically complete ITS coverage in the Atlanta region by 2010. This will include the full I-285 loop, all of I-675, the southern end of I-575 and extensions of coverage on I-75, I-85, I-20 and GA 400. The Fast Forward program also includes a massive expansion of the HERO program, increasing our number of drivers by nearly two times (from 50 to 96).

Outside of Atlanta, the NaviGAtor system now includes a hurricane evacuation system in the coastal areas. The hurricane evacuation system includes cameras and message signs along critical evacuation routes away from the coast. In the event of an evacuation, GDOT will be able to monitor these roadways and provide information to evacuees.

Although ITS coverage is most comprehensive in the Atlanta area, there is still information available to the public from other parts of the state. We track major highway incidents throughout Georgia, as well as any highway lane closures using reports from our seven Districts and on-site construction managers. That information is available from NAVIGATOR operators 24 hours a day 7 days a week by dialing 511. Although we cannot provide travel times or detailed travel conditions for every highway in the state, we can provide information on the trouble spots to avoid.

The Georgia DOT performs routine maintenance on the cameras and signs; however there will be times that certain cameras, signs or speed information is unavailable. Because these devices are used by operators at the TMC 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we are aware very quickly when problems occur

You may be able to fix this problem by holding down the shift key while clicking on the reload (in Netscape) or refresh (in Internet Explorer) button. If this does not correct it, please feel free to report the problem to us at webmaster@georgia-navigator.com.

The camera images are refreshed approximately every 4 to 5 minutes.

The average speeds shown on the map are refreshed approximately every 2-3 minutes.

The speeds shown on the NAVIGATOR web page are an average speed per lane collected approximately every 20 seconds. These speeds do not represent individual vehicle speeds and are not used for law enforcement.

Motorists who become stranded due to mechanical difficulties on metro-Atlanta interstates may call 511 to report being stranded. Just press 9 when the system first answers to be transferred to an operator. TMC operators will advise the next available HERO of the situation and, when possible, that HERO will go to the scene. If for some reason a HERO is not available, TMC operators can arrange for other assistance to be summoned to the location.

Motorists experiencing problems with their vehicles are advised to exit the interstate if possible. If that is not possible, they are advised to drive the vehicle to the right shoulder, moving as far away from the roadway as is safe, and remain in the vehicle until assistance arrives.

Please send your comments to HEROcomment@dot.state.ga.us.

Tours of the TMC are available and should be scheduled through our media relations office. Please contact us at tours@georgia-navigator.com or 404-635-8017.

Interstate conditions change in the blink of an eye. If an incident occurs 5 miles ahead at the same time or after you pass under the sign, the system will not have had a chance to recognize that change and update the message. If you notice consistent errors in any sign, please feel free to report them to webmaster@georgia-navigator.com so that we can investigate and make corrections if necessary.

The camera direction, when available, is displayed in a caption at the bottom of the image.

The camera direction information is not always available. When a camera loses communications with the TMC, the direction is not displayed.

Keep in mind that not all freeways run due east/west or north/south. For instance, much of I-85 in the Atlanta area runs in a northeast to southwest direction. It is not unusual for a camera on I-85, therefore, to have a caption reading Southeast or even East if the camera is truly pointed in that direction.

The camera direction changes over the course of the day as TMC operators use the cameras. For example, if a motorist reports an incident on a particular area of road, the TMC operator might use the camera to verify the incident and dispatch a HERO.

If you have difficulty viewing the direction on the image, try clicking the image to enlarge it. (This can be done through the camera lists only, not via the maps.)

Construction plans change frequently for many reasons. Weather is the most common reason, but it is not unusual for work schedules to be altered due to equipment malfunction, late material delivery, or other unforeseen circumstances. Navigator's lists of planned construction reflect the most up-to-date construction plans possible. However, information is most accurate 24 hours before the scheduled start, so we suggest you check back close to your departure time for the most accurate construction schedules.

NO. Georgia Navigator is not related in any way to Gator tracking software. Unfortunately, some personal firewalls and/or filtering programs mistakenly associate Georgia-Navigator.com with Gator.com, probably because the domain names are similar. It's safe for you to adjust your firewall settings to allow Georgia-Navigator.com access.

There is an ongoing construction project to reconstruct the Memorial Drive interchange at I-285. Rather than put fiber optic cable and cameras in that area now, we elected to wait until the new interchange is complete. Devices in that area would have been in the way of construction and likely would need to be relocated anyway. This gap will be filled in with cameras and speed detectors once the Memorial Drive interchange reconstruction is complete.