Driving Informed

Information, it is said, is power. And there is nothing more powerless than being stuck in a traffic jam with no end in sight. A traveler information system that went on line earlier this year aims to change this.

The premise behind the 511 traveler advisory system is simple: If people are better informed about road conditions, especially congested areas and accidents, they will plan around them and, hence, have a better time in Maine and, perhaps, come back again. The system, which covers the state’s roadways, ferries and Acadia National Park, Maine’s top tourist attraction, was debuted quietly in May.

It was immediately attacked by a Chamber of Commerce official for fear that it would drive people away from Mount Desert Island by advising that parking lots in Acadia are often full in the summer. The Maine Department of Transportation backtracked and removed information about parking availability in Acadia from the system, although the park’s acting superintendent had wanted the information made public and it is still available through the park’s own web site and telephone information system.

This is unfortunate because rather than keep visitors away, the 511 system, which is still in its infancy and no doubt will be improved over time, can enhance tourists’ experiences in Maine. What family headed to Acadia wouldn’t like to know that taking a free bus from your hotel into the park will save time and spare the hassle of circling in search of a parking space at Sand Beach or other popular destinations? And, what family wouldn’t like to have this information before leaving home so parents can know to bring a cooler to pack a lunch or a stroller to carry a toddler since they won’t easily be able to run back to the car to get such items?

Since parking lots are crowded at many national parks in the summer, this information is less like to dissuade visitors from Acadia than would having a miserable experience stuck in unexpected traffic. Many Bar Harbor business owners understand this and have embraced the Island Explorer bus system and the 511 system because they can discourage people from driving around the town, which is overrun with cars in the summer.

The Island Explorer, which runs on propane, has been heaped with praise. Obviously, the 511 system, which taps into the bus system’s automatic schedule information, has a long way to go to get accolades.

The Bar Harbor chamber of commerce director is right to suggest that when areas of particularly bad congestion are noted, that the 511 system should suggest alternative routes. The system is capable of doing this and those who put it together are already considering how to do it on a limited basis.

In an increasingly tech-savvy world, the people who come to Maine expect instant access to useful information, including information that will improve their time here. The state is right to give it to them and to keep working on delivering it more effectively.