MoDOT Intros New Travel Map App

By Annabeth Miller, ShowMe Times Editor

Just in time for the winter travel conditions, the Missouri Department of Transportation has launched a smartphone application that will allow users to check state road conditions from the palm of their hands.

The Traveler Information Map App is available at both the iPhone App Store (for iPhone 3GS and above) and Android Marketplace (2.2 and above) and provides the latest information on road conditions, work zones, flooding and incidents.  The app is free.

The app offers the same information as its online big brother, the Traveler Information Map, but with the convenience people have come to expect with the mobile revolution.

When the map loads, users see the entire state at a glance and can zoom in for a better view by tapping the screen on iPhones or using the pan and zoom buttons on the Android version. Weather-related road conditions are loaded as a default, but users can view work zones and incidents by tapping the "Conditions" button and choosing their display options. Even still shots of traffic are a viewable option for some routes.

Radar images supplied by the National Weather Service are also available so travelers can keep an eye on continuously changing weather conditions and plan their trips accordingly.

Information is updated continuously throughout snow and ice events. For incidents, work zones and flooding, visitors can tap on icons for more information on delays.  And if drivers want more information not offered on the map, MoDOT's customer service phone number (888-275-6636) is just a tap away.

The Traveler Information Map is only one tool Missouri travelers should use for travel information.  Local weather reports and law enforcement alerts should also be a part of any travel plan, especially during the winter months.

And MoDOT officials urge people to not use a mobile device while driving.