Winter Weather Driving Help

Well, it finally happened - win ter has arrived and with it snow and bone-chilling cold.  We are asked about where to find out about road conditions and the best source for state and interstate highways is the Iowa Department of Transportation, (Iowa DOT).  The Iowa DOT has a number of resources to make your trip as safe as possible.  If  you link to the Winter Weather Driving Help page you can find out how to connect to the 511 road conditions site.  The Iowa 511 site gives updates on current road conditions including a Track a Plow feature.  Track a Plow shows the deployment and locations of snowplows and what type of snow or ice retardant, liquid or solid, the plow is using, as well as the road conditions including any closures.

There is also an Iowa 511 On the Go option that lets users download a smartphone app for either the iPhone or Android devices.  The  Iowa 511 app provides statewide real-time traffic information for interstates, U.S. routes and state highways in Iowa. It does not include information for county roads or city streets. Other available information includes:
• A zoom-enabled map with traffic event icons that can be selected.
• Real-time updates on winter road conditions, traffic incidents, road work, construction, and road closures.
• Current traffic speeds and closed-circuit television (CCTV) traffic camera images in select cities (Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Iowa City, Quad Cities, Sioux City, and Waterloo) and across the state.
• Electronic roadway sign messages.
• Highway rest area locations.

If you don't have Internet access or a smartphone, you can still find out road condition information from the Iowa DOT by calling 511 or 800-288-1047.