New features on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s interactive map on COtrip.org are designed to make it easier for drivers to navigate the roads of Colorado safely.
CDOT launched the updated website on September 29th, announcing new tools to help travelers plan their route in advance and be prepared for road or lane closures or adverse road conditions. COtrip.org has been used for nearly two decades.
“This is an exciting time for our agency,” said Bob Fifer, CDOT branch manager for Intelligent Transportation Systems & Network Services. “We’re evolving legacy systems to better serve the traveling audience. The new website brings more of our transportation technologies into one lens and improves the customer experience. We added several new features while reducing system maintenance costs. Travelers can now adjust routes from point A to point B to see if their journey could be affected by road or lane closures. Drivers will find it easier to identify road closures, road conditions and construction impacts while replacing outdated technology. “
The new website includes the following new features:
Travel information & levels
The COtrip website is supported by a dynamic Google Map ™. Drivers can use the map like any Google map and click the icons for more information. Icons are displayed on the map by checking or unchecking the boxes on the layers toolbar. The available layers and the data they provide are described here.
Trucker shifts
The new trucker mode offers specific resources for commercial vehicle operators, including the following layers defined here.
My COtrip & Travel Advisories
Drivers can log in here or register for their own COtrip account to subscribe to and manage their travel warnings. You can also save your favorite routes and cameras and customize your travel preferences.
COtrip on social media
COtrip travel information is automatically published in the Twitter feed @ColoradoDOT. New street hashtags and Twitter threads were launched in the spring of 2021, making it easier for users to follow and stay updated on CDOT closings and incidents. Follow @ColoradoDOT on Twitter for real-time travel information and road conditions.
511 telephone service
Telephone Service 511 is an interactive, voice-activated traffic information system that motorists can access by calling 511 (within Colorado) or 1-800-288-1047 (nationwide). This system has not changed and will continue to provide travelers with a real-time option to check road conditions and traffic information. Find out more about 511 and how you can use this service here.
“The updated website will be a great new tool for the public, but we wanted to bring the same information to your mobile device as well. Said Fifer. “With this in mind, we are pleased to announce that we will also be launching a brand new mobile app on October 1st. Now travelers are conveniently informed anywhere. We strive to continuously improve access to motorway information and technology. “
The new mobile app COtrip Planner was developed to meet the growing information trend on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling audience. The COtrip Planner app provides nationwide traffic information in real time and works on smartphones and tablets that run on iOS and Android platforms. Download the app from October 1st from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
The app will be fully implemented in three phases:
Traveler app with hands-free, eye-free functionality with custom CDOT layers now available
Winter-specific layers including weather warnings, weather stations, plow trackers with CDOT snowplow competition names, and express lanes
- Phase 3: winter 2021/2022
Integrated my COtrip accounts and new map search functions including event and camera clustering, pre-defined routes / areas and adding a layer for electronic signs
Social sharing of cameras and road conditions will also be available
Turn-by-turn directions and recommended routes to the user map app (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze)
Warning banners and push notifications
Rockfall and wildlife reports
The COtrip Planner app also includes a feature called TellMe that allows app users to be hands-free on their route. TellMe recognizes the current location, speed and direction of travel of the user in order to be able to announce upcoming road conditions and traffic disruptions while driving.
“We want Coloradans and visitors to our great state to have all the information they need to plan a safe trip no matter where they go on our highways and highways,” said Fifer. “We hope that all drivers will use the website and the mobile app before getting into their vehicles for a safer and more comfortable journey as both tools help avoid any ‘surprises’ on the road.”
