TRAFFIC problems? There's a map for that.
Metro Vancouver drivers now have the ability to see gridlock before they're in it, thanks to a $1.2 million online map at drivebc.ca and translink.ca.
The diagram follows Highway 1 from Whistler to Chilliwack and Highway 99 from the Peace Arch border to Whistler.
The map works on the same basic principle as a mood ring: green means smooth sailing, orange means traffic is slow, and red means you might get lapped by a snail. With a click on a 500-metre road segment, the website provides the average speed on the road as well as the relative reliability of the information.
The map will give options to commuters and help businesses move goods more efficiently, according to a release from the Ministry of Transport. "While drivers get the latest details on driving conditions, we've also got a great new tool to study and improve traffic flows in our region," stated TransLink's chief operating officer Doug Kelsey in a release.
The map works by using global positioning system technology to track cellphone signals. The movement of the cellphone signals is used to rate traffic flow.
Any personal data from the cellphones is removed before being used in the map, according to a release from the province.
Transport Canada contributed $490,000 for the project, the B.C. government came up with $335,000, and TransLInk added $375,000.
Drivers can also sign up to get traffic update text messages from DriveBC.
