skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, December 22, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Government shutdown looms after Trump-backed bill fails; Environmental groups sue CA Air Resources Board over biogas credits; NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings; Need a mental health boost? Talking hot dog is here.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

President-elect Trump repeats his threats to jail Jan. 6th committee members, while also putting a stop-gap spending plan in jeopardy. A court removes Fani Willis from Trump's Georgia election interference case. The FAA restricts drones in New Jersey, and a Federal Reserve rate cut shakes markets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural folks could soon be shut out of loans for natural disasters if Project 2025 has its way, Taos, New Mexico weighs options for its housing shortage, and the top states providing America's Christmas trees revealed.

Revamped 'NewEngland511' Aims to Reduce Congestion, Pollution

play audio
Play

Wednesday, October 19, 2022   

Visitors and residents of Maine count on the New England 511 website for real-time road and weather conditions, and a recent makeover could help even more people navigate their travels.

The website is now more mobile-friendly, helping drivers through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont view the fall colors. It provides links to live cameras, construction alerts and traffic warnings.

Paul Merrill, director of communications for the Maine Department of Transportation, said the website gives users a heads-up, whether they are on vacation or making their daily commute.

"You might roll out of bed and say, 'Oh, there's a tree down on the road that I take to the office. It's going to take me a little extra time to get to work,' " Merrill noted.

The website address remains the same, but because of extensive changes, current users of NewEngland511.org will have to create a new account to continue receiving email or text notifications. Merrill said the "MyTrips" alerts generated by the old website will stop on Oct. 23.

Individual alerts will now come from a system called "My 511," with the goals of alleviating not only congestion, but the air pollution that comes with it.

Merrill pointed out the site is both old and new, with links to state permits for parks as well as information on bicycling through New England and where to find electric vehicle charging stations.

"Poke around, see what features are there, there's a lot," Merrill urged. "Kick the tires, see what's there, as you go in and set up a new alert."

He added it takes only a few minutes to set up a new account, which could save a lot of time down the road.

And the website is not only for road travelers. It lists all state and regional airports and flight information, as well as important details regarding train travel throughout New England and its extensive walking trails.

Merrill emphasized riders of Maine's ferry service, for example, can get important updates.

"That's really the quickest way to get information from the department if there's a ferry run that's canceled or delayed," Merrill stressed. "They are a big user base here."

The new website arrives as construction is expected to increase throughout New England due to new federal funding from President Joe Biden's infrastructure law, which designates some $400 billion over five years to help repair the nation's roads and bridges.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A survey from the American Heart Association revealed 79% of respondents neglect their health during the holidays. Many say they find this time of year more stressful than income tax season.
(deagreez/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Holiday travel is in full swing and for many, so is the stress. The American Heart Association of Missouri has health tips for anyone with heart …


Health and Wellness

play sound

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collabo…

Health and Wellness

play sound

With Christmas less than a week away, experts are giving advice on how seniors and the community can fight against social isolation. A United Health …


A new University of Miami study has found buildings in Sunny Isles Beach and Surfside have been sinking by 2-8 centimeters between 2016 and 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

When the Champlain Towers South collapsed in Surfside in 2021 taking 98 lives, it sent shock waves across South Florida. The tragedy has left …

Environment

play sound

Rural communities across Massachusetts are benefiting from state grants aimed at strengthening the local food supply and building climate resilience…

Dairy digesters remove methane from liquified animal waste. The gas can then be used to generate power. (Lance Cheung/USDA)

Environment

play sound

Three environmental nonprofits filed suit Wednesday against the California Air Resources Board to oppose the expansion of a program allowing oil and g…

Environment

play sound

New York lawmakers are focusing on electrifying municipal buildings. Buildings statewide make up 32% of New York's greenhouse gas emissions and …

Social Issues

play sound

North Dakota is expected to rejoin the debate over whether all school children, regardless of their family income, should have access to no-cost …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021