(Los Angeles traffic reporters say the question they're most frequently asked is 'What's a SigAlert?,' with the second most-asked question being "What's the No. The word SigAlert eventually became a common and familiar term to Southland drivers, even though few of them were aware of its origins or knew what criteria triggered such an alert. One of the more unusual SigAlerts was the Tuesday morning in October 1998 when a truck transporting ten tons of pies overturned on the transition from the Harbor to the Hollywood freeways, creating a pastry-coated traffic snarl that stretched for miles. Sensible folks immediately divert to alternate routes when they hear the dread term "SigAlert" applied to the route they were planning toĬauses of SigAlerts are many and varied some tragic, some funny. The official Highway Patrol definition of a SigAlert is "any unplanned event that causes the closing of one lane of traffic for 30 minutes or more, as opposed to a planned event like road construction, which is planned separately." SigAlerts are issued by the California Highway Patrol and are broadcast on Los Angeles radio and television stations, posted on the CHP web site, and signaled to motorists via electronic billboards on the freeways. Los Angeles has a special name for its traffic updates about unforeseen incidents that have caused what will be lengthy lane closures: SigAlerts. But what about the large-scale interruptions the overturned rig sprawling across three lanes, the five-car injury wreck, the hazardous materials spill, or the bomb threat? Minor accidents and slowdowns are routine and, although annoying, are considered an ordinary part of the commute.
#LA TRAFFIC SIG UPDATE#
Severity of congestion-causing incidents can easily rush through a dizzying array of freeway names and numbers in half a minute, and woe betide the less-than-attentive motorist who misses the key update for the freeway he was planning to take on a morning when something brings traffic to a standstill on that crucial road - his inattentiveness may strand him for hours. Routine traffic updates that mention the nature and One breakdown in a key lane, or even a simple fender-bender, can cause traffic to back up for miles fatal accidents or other impediments can close vital roads for hours at a time.Įvery large city has its "traffic watch," complete with helicopter reporters who spot-check the local freeways and broadcast traffic conditions to commuters through a variety of drive-time radio shows, but Los Angeles is a special case. commuters combine to overload the area's freeway systems.
The burgeoning population (close to 10 million for all of Los Angeles County at last count) and the great distances traversed daily by many L.A. Origins: Traffic snarls and interminable drive-time delays are an unpleasant fact of life in Los Angeles. Claim: SigAlerts, the Los Angeles advisories of severe traffic conditions, were named after radio executive Loyd Sigmon.
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