DriveTexas.Org Proves Invaluable Resource In The Aftermath Of #Harvey

TxDOT logs more than 5 million visits to travel-information website.

AUSTIN – With more than 500 state roadway closures during the height of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Department of Transportation’s DriveTexas.org website was visited more than 5 million times as drivers searched to check road conditions, find alternate routes and see closures on state roadways.

“We’ve always been proud of DriveTexas.org as a resource for guiding drivers across Texas, but we had never relied on it more than we did in the days following Hurricane Harvey,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “During the storm, DriveTexas.org was visited by a record number of people trying to safely navigate to their destinations. The real-time updates, which are made by TxDOT team members in the field, kept pace with fast-moving conditions and were invaluable to thousands of travelers and emergency responders who otherwise may not have known where to turn for accurate information.”

DriveTexas.org is an industry leader in providing some of the most accurate and up-to-date travel-related information available to drivers in Texas. The site, always available to people seeking information, also offers a toll-free phone number (800-452-9292) that provides the same information 24/7. Along with 5 million website visits since Harvey made landfall on August 24, the toll-free TxDOT Travel Information Line received more than 163,000 calls.

Information presented on DriveTexas.org is as close to real time as possible and is a vital tool for the public during emergency situations when information about road closures is being shared. Along with finding road closures, the site offers information about construction zones, flooding, damage and accidents.

DriveTexas.org Features

DriveTexas.org allows drivers to personalize their travels in and around the state. The following services can be found on this site:

• Map legend allowing travelers to look up what type of travel conditions are along a specific route (i.e., construction, road closures, ice/snow, etc.)
• Traffic camera icons linking to local sites with traffic cameras, congestion data, incident reports and more detailed information in select locations
• Travel Information Center and Safety Rest Area icons including the location of facility, details on amenities, phone number and hours of operation
• Link to allow users to provide feedback

For media inquiries, contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@txdot.gov or (512) 463-8700.