Florida's 511 Travel Information System debuted in the fall of 2004 — just in time to become a helpful tool to thousands of Hurricane Frances evacuees. The initial system allowed callers using a cellular or land-line phone to access real time traffic information — such as road congestion, blocked lanes or crashes — in a handful of the state's counties. The free voice-activated automated service, a resource of the Florida Department of Transportation, was eventually rolled out to the entire state.

The expanded 511 service now also includes an interactive Website — www.fl511.com — and a fl511 app that is available for download.

My Florida 511 Details

Whether you regularly travel Florida's highways or are on vacation, calling My Florida 511 can help determine traffic and roadway conditions, give travel times between pre-determined highway segments and automatically connect you to airports and public transit agencies.

When you access My Florida 511 from the Web, you will have visual traffic information at your fingertips. You may find out what traffic is like on 511-covered roadways and view traffic cameras to see roadway conditions. Additionally, traffic alerts reporting accidents with subsequent delays are constantly updated on a rotating ticker at the top of the page (or click the link to view them all).

The My Florida 511 app is designed for both the iPhone and iPad. The free download from iTunes offers travelers traffic updates in their vicinity.

Using My Florida 511

Registering for My Florida 511 services is not necessary, but offers several benefits, including the ability to set up an unlimited number of custom routes and receive either phone, text or email incident alerts for those routes.

Travelers may register up to two phone numbers per account and when called the system will recognize your registered phone number and give you alerts for your custom routes or allow you to bypass your custom routes for statewide traffic information. Travelers also have language choices — English or Español.

The Web-based My Florida 511 is fairly easy to navigate and the registration process not too lengthy. Printable PDF files containing step-by-step tips from sign up to covered roads help users become familiar with the system:

• My Florida 511 Tips.pdf covers registration details and how to set up a custom route.
• 511 Tips and Menu.pdf provides tips on using the 511 telephone system.
• 511 Call and Web.pdf explains voice commands for telephone system and navigation tips for Web users.
• 511 Covered Roads.pdf offers visually detailed maps of roads monitored by the 511 system.

Those with an aversion to being prompted by phone recordings may experience a bit of uneasiness when first encountering My Florida 511 by telephone, as recorded prompts requiring voice responses are the way you navigate the system. However, you may also use the telephone system with touchtone codes or a combination of voice and touchtone codes (learn how). Print the helpful touchtone code pages and highlight those you use most often to navigate the system voice-free.

Of course, travelers are encouraged to use their cellular phone responsibly. Pull off the road to make calls or to access My Florida 511 app maps.

More Florida travel tips:

• Florida's toll highways are being converted to electronic toll-taking allowing travelers to either pay with SunPass or billed via toll-by-plate.
• Beware of Florida's red light cameras and the hefty fines they carry.