Department of Transportation
For Immediate Release: November 22, 2002
For More Information Contact: Dave Huft (605) 773-3358

New Statewide 511 Traveler Information Number to Serve South Dakota

On November 18, the South Dakota Department of Transportation and the South Dakota Highway Patrol will begin to provide travelers a new statewide, toll-free phone number for information about weather and road conditions. By dialing “511”, users of cellular and land-based phones will receive up-to-date, location-specific road and weather information on any Interstate, US, or state highway in South Dakota and several adjoining states.

511 service will address some of South Dakotans’ strongest concerns about safe travel. According to the Department of Transportation’s public surveys, residents consider winter weather the greatest single threat to highway travel. Other concerns include delays and detours due to highway construction, traffic congestion, and unusual conditions like flooding or major accidents.

 The 511 number will replace four phone numbers for pre-recorded road reports that the South Dakota Highway Patrol has operated in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Pierre, and Rapid City. It will also replace the #SAFE (#7233) number that the Department of Transportation has provided for cellular phone callers since 1996. The Department has begun posting 511 logo signs along Interstate and other state highways to remind travelers of the service.

Initially, the 511 system will prompt callers to enter their inquiries through phone keys, but work is underway to enable the system to accept voice input later. Callers can request road and weather conditions for any route on the South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota state highway systems. Callers may ask for conditions along a general highway segment—for example, Interstate 90 from Rapid City to Wall—or at a specific milepost or exit number—for example, US14 at Milepost 301 (a location near the city of Miller). Mileposts are located at one-mile intervals along all state highways.

South Dakota’s 511 initiative is part of a program to establish 511 as the universal Traveler Information Number throughout the nation. The work represents a partnership between the Department of Transportation, the Highway Patrol, and the state’s local telephone and cellular service providers, who have programmed their phone systems to recognize 511. (Only Verizon has not agreed to recognize 511 calls, but Verizon customers can obtain the same information by dialing 866-MYSD511.)

Travelers should not confuse 511 with 911, the nationwide emergency response number. Any situation requiring police, fire department, ambulance, or other emergency services must still be reported to 911, which is manned by trained public safety dispatchers.

For further information contact David Huft, Intelligent Transportation Systems Coordinator, South Dakota Department of Transportation, 700 East Broadway, Pierre, SD  57501-2586, 605.773.3358, dave.huft@state.sd.us