Racine Sun

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is using technology to improve the information it provides on winter road conditions at 511wi.gov.

“We’re proud to find new ways to leverage technology to improve service and give the public a more clear and accurate idea of how to prepare for the drive ahead,” Wisconsin DOT secretary Craig Thompson said in a statement.

The 511 update ties in Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) technology that DOT and county highway departments use to make informed decisions on plowing and salting, DOT said.

"MDSS generates automated models based on conditions measured at multiple areas throughout the state," the agency said. "The data sources are available around the clock."  

According to DOT, included in the data sources are:

• Atmospheric and road weather sensors along the roadway and at airports 
• Information from snowplows enabled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 
• Information from the National Weather Service.  

The new system will now cover over 14,000 miles of roadways in Wisconsin, up from the previous system’s 3,700, WEAU reported.

"Important upgrades to 511wi.gov – we’ve tripled the amount of roadway covered in our winter road conditions feature and conditions are now updated at least twice hourly," Wisconsin DOT tweeted. "System upgrades add reporting on more than 10,000 miles of roadway and more frequent updates to winter road conditions to help you travel safely."