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North Dakota 511

ND 511 Information

One easy-to-remember number

511Welcome to the North Dakota 511 Web page. The information on this page is intended to give you a better understanding of what the North Dakota 511 Travel Information Service is and how it works. 511 is a national telephone service for travelers to get the information they need to safely travel across North Dakota and the nation by calling 511 from any type of phone. Motorists can access weather and road information, road construction reports, and seasonal load restriction information through this one telephone number. *When calling from out of state dial 1-866-696-3511.*

Check out our newest Travel Information Map that provides access to road conditions, load restrictions, work zones, road & weather cameras, width/height restrictions and weather radar.


North Dakota - Birthplace of 511

Have you ever been driving down the road and heard a weather report on the radio stating good visibility at the same time you're leaning over the steering wheel trying to see the front end of your car during a ground blizzard? This was the catalyst for the idea of providing route specific road and weather conditions in-vehicle in 1995. With the cooperation of the North Dakota Congressional Delegation, the University of North Dakota secured funding through the Federal Highway Administration to work with the North Dakota Department of Transportation to construct, test, and develop a proof of concept of an Advanced Traveler Information System.

By the winter of 1996, UND was providing 24 hour operations in support of #SAFE, a single region-wide number for access by wireless phones across North and South Dakota. In May of 1998, a new company began providing services in North Dakota, Meridian Environmental Technology, Inc. Technology transfer was completed and operations began at Meridian on November 1, 1998. After UND proved the concept for a single statewide number for traveler information could work, and using #SAFE as the basis for a national model, the USDOT filed a formal request with the FCC to assign a nation-wide "511" traveler information number, replacing over 300 separate numbers across the US.

Early 2001 saw the FCC approve the use of 511 for Advanced Traveler Information System. In November of 2001, USDOT published the first 511 guidelines modeled after the philosophy, rules, and requirements of the now UND/Meridian #SAFE system. On November 22, 2002, South Dakota converted to 511, with Montana following suit in January, 2003, followed by Kansas and North Dakota in February, 2003.

How to use 511

511 is FREE and simple to use. Just dial "511" from any telephone in your home, office, or vehicle. If you are calling from out-of-state, dial 1-866-696-3511. Follow the instructions below to get the information you need.

Note: The example below will provide you with the current conditions for I-94 from Dickinson to Bismarck.

Detailed 511 Instructions

Call 511 (if calling from your office, and your organizations uses a PBX system, the PBX system must be programmed to recognize 511 as an outgoing telephone number)

  • You will hear:
    • "Welcome to the North Dakota 511 Traveler Information System."
      • "For North Dakota Highways Press 1"
      • "For information in other states press 7"
    • Press 1
      • "For route specific information Press 1"
      • "For regional summary information Press 2"
      • "For seasonal load restrictions Press 3"
    • Press 1
      • "Enter your Highway number followed by the # (Pound) sign."
    • Press 94#
      • "Enter the number corresponding to the segment you are interested in"
    • Press 2
      • Listen to the report
      • "To repeat the last message Press 1"
      • "To do another road/weather search Press 2"
      • "To select another segment on this Highway Press 4"
      • "To leave a question or comment Press 8"
      • "To end this call Press 9 or simply hang-up."

ND 511 FAQ's