The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) have partnered to bring you 511 traffic information. These partners are an essential part of the 511 service. They make 511 Traffic's features possible by providing the most current data on Bay Area traffic and incidents, and allow for features such as 511 Driving Times^SM and up-to-the-minute traffic conditions. Read below and visit our partner sites to find out more. Click on the logos to visit their sites.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC functions as both the regional transportation planning agency -- a state designation -- and for federal purposes, as the region's metropolitan planning organization (MPO). As such, it is responsible for the Regional Transportation Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the development of mass transit, highway, airport, seaport, railroad, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

In recent years, MTC also has added to its activities some "hands-on" projects to promote the efficient monitoring and operation of the regional transportation network. One such project is the 511 Travel Guide phone number and Web site. Along with Caltrans and CHP, MTC works hard to deliver a product that provides traffic conditions, driving times and incidents, details on public transportation routes and fares, instant carpool and vanpool referrals, bicycling information and more.

Caltrans is the lead agency in operating the region's freeway system. Traffic flow is monitored as part of this effort, using loop detectors embedded in the pavement, as well as off-pavement sensors. Traffic counts and speeds from these detectors are reported back to Caltrans' District 4 Transportation Management Center (TMC) in Oakland. In addition to detector data, the TMC also uses closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to check hot spots on the freeway. The 511 Traveler Information Center (TIC) is co-located with the TMC within the Caltrans facility, allowing Caltrans' TMC staff to share this traffic data and information with the TIC staff quickly and conveniently, enabling the TIC to provide the data to the public via 511. In addition to providing the TIC with information on freeway conditions, Caltrans also informs motorists already on the road through overhead changeable message signs and highway advisory radio.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a major public partner in the 511 project. The CHP's Computer Aided Dispatch system provides important data to the 511 system on accidents, stalled vehicles, debris, etc. CHP's participation in 511 assists in acheiving their goal of increasing safety on Bay Area freeways. Additionally, CHP personnel staff the Transportation Management Center (TMC) in Oakland and assist in managing the Freeway Service Patrol.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a major agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, is charged with the broad responsibility of ensuring that America's roads and highways continue to be the safest and most technologically up-to-date. Although State, local, and tribal governments own most of the Nation's highways, the FHWA provides financial and technical support to them for constructing, improving, and preserving America's highway system. The FHWA has an annual budget of more than $30 billion that is funded by fuel and motor vehicle excise taxes. FHWA is headquartered in Washington, DC, with field offices in every State, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The FHWA has served as a technical advisor on the 511 systems' implementation.

SFgo is San Francisco's new Integrated Transportation Management System led by the city's Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT). Phases of the project will be implemented over the next several years to make San Francisco streets more effective and safer through the use of proven technologies and strategies. Travelers can expect signals that respond to the actual volume of traffic on a roadway, faster response by city personnel clearing an incident, real-time information on travel conditions and improved coordination between all modes of transportation. The program complements San Francisco's Transit First Policy by helping to preserve and enhance the city's alternate modes of transportation.

The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (CMA) has launched an integrated traffic management system that will cover the San Pablo Avenue-I-80 corridor from Hercules to Oakland and the Hesperian/International/E. 14th Boulevard-I-880 corridor from Oakland to Union City. Working with 24 regional agencies, the system will employ signals that react to traffic conditions, and wireless and Internet services to provide real-time traffic information to the public. Its various initiatives will reduce traffic delays and increase the efficiency of transit.

Silicon Valley Smart Corridor
The Silicon Valley Smart Corridor (SVSC) project is a multi-year, multi-phase program to install Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the south bay's roadway network. The ITS technology will help keep all transportation facilities within the Highway 17/Interstate 880 corridor operating at maximum efficiency, even following a major disruptive incident. When fully functional, data from the SVSC project will be available on the Local Traffic Information page of the 511 Traffic web site.

SpeedInfo is a traffic content and data wholesale company that is working in partnership with MTC and CalTrans to provide real time average traffic speed coverage for the SFO Bay area limited access highways. SpeedInfo has deployed its low cost, solar powered radar sensors to fill gaps in coverage for over 250 miles of highways. With this deployment, real time traffic speed in the SFO Bay area is measured by the most advanced traffic sensor network in the country. For more info, visit www.speedinfo.com.