Governor Bill Haslam addresses a digital government conference in Nashville.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is working on a smartphone app using the traffic data it already collects. It’s tentatively set to be available later this year.
At a digital government conference in Nashville, Governor Bill Haslam told attendees that he just wants other drivers to have what he has.
“If you’re the governor and you’re riding around with state troopers and you’re wondering ‘how does I-40 look?’ or ‘what’s the best route home today?’ I can get all that information real easy, but we want to make that so that everybody can. [laughter] Although it might mess up some of my fast ways home, but I’m willing to take that chance.”
The state already watches traffic congestion through a system of highway cameras, posting estimated drive times on Interstate signs. Haslam says a smartphone program is meant to customize that information and put it in one place.
The app will be free to use. The state has not publicized how much it will cost taxpayers.
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