Usage, Preference and Need for Traffic Information Sources in Long Island

This study identified the profiles of travelers in Long Island of New York, who were using radio and TV, their route diversion decisions based on them, and the need for having smart signs as an additional source of real-time traffic information, using binary logit and ordered probit models. It was identified in the study that radio was more extensively used than TV for obtaining traffic information. Among these travelers who listened to radio or watched TV, about 70% of them would divert to a different route to avoid congestion. Trip characteristics influenced travelers' diversion decisions only when they listened to radio. Whether travelers preferred smart signs was not related to trip characteristics.