With the second winter storm in a week arriving in Prince Edward Island, don’t forget to check the 511 web and phone-based system for road condition updates, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey says.

“As the snow begins to fall, don’t venture out before checking on the condition of the roads you’ll be traveling using the 511 service,” Minister Vessey said. “With road updates as well as views from our province’s six road cams, it’s encouraging to see that Islanders are making 511 their one-stop location for planning the safest, most efficient trip possible.”

Since Sunday’s storm, the website has received more than 7,600 visits and the phone line received more than 300 phone calls. These were inquiries that would previously been handled individually by Highway Safety staff.

Launched in January, 511 is available free in Prince Edward Island simply by dialing 5-1-1 from a touch-tone phone – similar to calling 8-1-1 for health advice or 9-1-1 for emergencies. The telephone system responds to voice or touch-tone keypad commands.

Computer or mobile device users can visit www.511.gov.pe.ca. Web users can use an interactive map of the province that they can modify to display information like weather and the province’s six webcams at Elmsdale, Albany, Blue Shank Road, St. Peter’s, Bonshaw, and Poole’s Corner.

The state-of-the-art system is used in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and links are included to their systems, as well as updates from Confederation Bridge. For more information on winter road maintenance or to report a road problem such as a downed road sign or traffic light outage, visit www.gov.pe.ca/tir (click on “Winter Highway Maintenance” or “Report a Problem”).