Cobb offers new website to ease commutes

The Cobb system ties into the Georgia Department of Transportation’s 511 system, but differs from the state system in that it provides information about local roadways.

“If there’s a road closure because of an accident or a water line break, the information is entered immediately,” said Commissioner Bob Ott, who asked the county to develop the program. “It was inexpensive to develop because we already had all of the information at our Traffic Management Center.”

Ott said information about road construction, accidents and congestion that’s fed to the website directly from the county’s traffic management center is more reliable than other commercially available applications, some of which provide user-generated content.

“Telling people how (best) to get from one location to another is the No. 1 thing we’re considering next,” said Lynn Biggs, GIS supervisor for the Cobb Department of Transportation.

The website cost $39,000 to develop and could eventually tie into other applications, like the Atlanta Braves app that will provide ballpark information to fans.

“We are working in tandem with Cobb County so that we will be able to inform our fans the best way in, out and around SunTrust Park,” Braves’ spokeswoman Beth Marshall said.

Ott said he asked for the website because of a large pipeline project that is expected to disrupt traffic in his district for months. Ott said he’s happy with the program — it provides valuable information to drivers and is easy to use.

“It is very intuitive,” Ott said. “It’s a great tool.”