Lake County Rolls Out Live Traffic Monitor for iPhones

An iPhone app that lets motorists view real-time road conditions is now available through PASSAGE (Program Arterial Signal Synchronization and Travel Guidance), a project of the Lake County Division of Transportation.

“It helps us by getting the word out as far as incidents, construction and travel conditions. Users are able to report back to us incidents such as a stall blocking a lane or traffic signal not working,” said John Nelson, a traffic engineer with the county agency.

As of Feb. 25, there were 360 downloads of the application, Nelson said. The iPhone app became available Feb. 8.

Users can view a map of current conditions. Red flags alert motorists of traffic events, such as accidents or blocked lanes due to road construction.  The map includes real-time information about traffic congestions, with green roads indicating fast travel, yellow showing delays and red signaling slow travel.

Users can drop a pin for a current location to get nearby road incidents. An event list provides a text version of traffic issues.

The camera icon on the map allows users to tap on a major intersections and view traveling conditions there. Nelson said about 200 cameras monitor traffic flow throughout the county, providing photos every five minutes.

For those who prefer to listen to the traffic conditions, the application allows users to tune in to Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) at 1620 AM.

Users can also report incidents to PASSAGE as well as share a photo of a crash or other traffic incident. Nelson said so far, there have been eight users who have relayed traffic information.

Residents can find the free iPhone app by typing in Lake County PASSAGE in the search feature of the app store or download it from the PASSAGE's website.

Commuters without an iPhone can also find the same information at website.