Celebrate 511 Georgia Day and learn how 511GA helps you every day

When getting in your vehicle, you automatically fasten your seatbelt, adjust your mirrors, and make ensure no obstructions are in your way for a safe drive to your destination. Checking the 511 Georgia (511GA) app or website should be automatic, too. ​

​​On the latest Ahead of the Curve podcast episode, "Getting the 411 on 511," host Natalie Dale speaks with State Traffic Engineer Alan Davis and Assistant State Traffic Engineer Christina Barry to discuss how 511GA began, the services it provides beyond traffic information, like connecting you with our HERO and CHAMP units, how it receives and processes all the traffic data, and the future of 511GA.

"511 is a national program that is pushed out as a requirement for states to have a traveler information program," Davis explains. "At its core it's traveler information, but Georgia was doing 511 before it was cool."

He elaborates on the roots of 511GA, dating back nearly 30 years, and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. At the time, Georgia DOT launched the NaviGAtor program, an innovative way to manage traffic and distribute information to the public to reduce congestion and delays, during this time and now includes 511GA.

Around the same time, the Highway Emergency Response Operators (HERO) program began in Metro Atlanta to respond to incidents on the interstate incidents and help clear them quickly to prevent secondary crashes that happen from another crash. Initially, the Coordinated Highway Assistance and Maintenance Program (CHAMP) focused on roadway maintenance but expanded to include roadside service and incident management outside HERO's jurisdiction.

The great thing about 511GA is that help is a phone call away. During the episode, Barry assures motorists that they will speak to an actual person in the state when they call 5-1-1. More importantly, that person can pinpoint your location in seconds, even if you're in a rural area and unsure exactly where you are. They further explain how 511GA assists in getting you back on the road and to your destination safely.

Before you get in your vehicle, 511GA can be instrumental in helping you plan your route. In Georgia, no commute is the same, even when traveling the same route at the same time of day. A 15-minute drive one day could take three times as long the next. On the podcast, Davis explains how 511GA lets you set up zones to alert you of delays, construction, crashes, etc., which could impact your drive.

"We have the freshest information from the department about what's happening on the roadways, and there is a lot of information sharing with partners like WAZE. We get information from them, they get information from us, so we all have the best information possible to serve the public," he said.

Additionally, the podcast discusses how the technology that provides updated information for your commute and helps with roadside assistance is analyzing the traffic information to improve safety measures for years to come and to continue making daily transit safer and more reliable.

"A big piece of what we do is trying to get in front of traffic to make sure it's as efficient and safe as possible," said Davis. "Someday, we hope to enhance the safety systems of your car so your car can alert you to something that happened, 10 cars in front of you."

Listen to the full podcast here for a complete discussion of 511GA and check out previous Ahead of the Curve podcasts here. /p>