Looking to avoid traffic jams? Pull a FAST one

We've all been there, haven't we?

Motoring along one of the valley's freeways, already running late for a morning meeting, or a lunch appointment, or a child's afternoon soccer match, and suddenly there they are: the glaring brake lights of the cars quickly slowing in front of us.

We, too, slow down, knowing what lies ahead - just not knowing how far ahead. A few hundred yards? A half-mile? Farther?

Is it merely a stalled vehicle that hopefully will get pushed to the side in short order? Or a major accident that will tie up traffic for a while?

We check the time, perhaps pound on the steering wheel a couple of times, utter a few words under our breath that requires going to confession on Sunday.

Before we know it, there are a dozen or so other vehicles braking behind us.

Oh, if we'd only known.

In many, if not all cases, you could have. That is, if you were signed up to receive free email and/or text messages from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada's FAST alert program.

A quick check of your computer before leaving home or work, or of your smartphone before getting into your vehicle and onto the freeway, could've forewarned you of possible trouble spots, allowing you to travel a different route.

Brian Hoeft is the director of FAST, the RTC's Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation, a state-of-the-art network of traffic monitoring, incident reporting, traveler information dissemination and, as needed, traffic control.

With approximately 400 cameras, including 100 or so on freeways, little that happens on our roadways between the hours of 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. on weekends escapes the eyes of Hoeft's staff.

In addition to sending out the timely email/text messages when there's an accident or snarl on one of our freeways, FAST staffers update the Dynamic Message Signs that appear every three miles or so above the freeways, alerting those already in their vehicles - and legally prohibited from accessing their phones - to incidents and delayed travel times.

Also falling under the direction of FAST are the valley's freeway ramp meters, roadway traffic signals and lane use control signals.

Standing in FAST's nerve center, a 4,000-square-foot room with rows of computers and a wall of 36 video monitors that looks like a hybrid of NASA Control and a local sports book, Hoeft readily admits to being a "traffic geek." He's obsessed with drivers getting from here to there with as little hassle as possible. He cares about us because once he gets into his car he is one of us and he knows the frustration.

As such, he wishes FAST had more than just 1,900 valley drivers signed up to receive the center's traffic alerts. The alerts are short, sweet and complete - well, as complete as they can be not knowing how long it will take to clear up an announced congestion. A sample from last week:

"Accident on I-15 Southbound past Cheyenne, center lanes blocked. Expect delays."

Those who were planning to drive in that area and who received the alert before getting into their vehicles immediately knew what to expect and then could make up their own minds about waiting through it or taking an alternate route.

Why wouldn't all valley freeway drivers want to be privy to such information?

Hoeft wonders, too.

"Maybe it's just the fact that there's so much information out there that people can sign up for," Hoeft said. "And, I've heard people say that there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and bad traffic. Maybe people are resigned to the fact traffic will always be bad."

True, but that doesn't mean we always have to get caught up in it.

The alerts, which average about five per day but sometimes can total as many as 15, come almost instantaneously. Once a problem is recognized in the FAST center, a notice is first sent out to the Dynamic Message Signs and then via the email/text message alerts. Drivers on the road are notified first, albeit just seconds ahead, to minimize congestion.

The way Hoeft sees it, anything that can be done to reduce the number of vehicles snared in a traffic backup, the better: "Studies have shown the longer traffic builds up the greater opportunity we have for secondary accidents."

In addition to having drivers sign up for the alerts, Hoeft would like feedback on any aspect of FAST's growing program.

"We're willing to listen," he said. "We want to hear what kind of information would be beneficial to drivers."

That's partly because when Hoeft gets behind the wheel of his car, he's no longer a "traffic geek."

He's one of us.

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Drivers interested in signing up for FAST alerts, via email and/or text messages, should go to the RTC's website - rtcsnv.com - click on the "Planning & Engineering" link at the top of the page and then follow the freeway links on the right.

Feedback on any aspect of FAST can be provided by phone (702-432-5300), email (askfast@rtcsnv.com) or in writing (FAST, 4615 W. Sunset Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118).

Questions and comments should go to roadwarrior
@reviewjournal.com. Please include your phone number. Follow the Road Warrior on Twitter: @RJroadwarrior.