Many people would be familiar with the MyRoadInfo website but fewer would know that the website was developed right here in the northern rivers by our own councils to streamline access to road information, especially during floods and fires.
The concept has now received a ‘highly commended’ at the 2012 Resilient Australia Awards announced in Sydney.
Lismore City Council IT officer Garth Hayhurst, who together with Anne Fitzgerald collected the award, said, ‘It was a tremendous feeling to see the collective work of northern rivers councils recognised’.
‘The most outstanding thing about the awards was the positive feedback we received from the NSW emergency services minister, the police and SES – they all thought it was terrific,’ Mr Hayhurst said.
Like many good ideas, the MyRoadInfo website was born of necessity. Lismore City Council was inundated with calls from around the region during the 2009 flood, with people trying to get information about local road closures.
It became clear a central piece of software across council boundaries was the key to a solution.
The concept has now been licensed for use by mid-north-coast councils and Lismore is in negotiations with councils in western NSW. Potentially the model could be used around Australia to ensure safe travel in all types of weather.
From road closures owing to flash flooding to roadworks and delays caused by accidents, the MyRoadInfo website provides an easy, one-stop shop where motorists can find road-access information from their computer, phone or tablet.
The latest version of MyRoadInfo, launched on 27 August 2012, automatically updates each MyRoadInfo site with road information from all councils as well as the RMS (formerly RTA) to provide a truly comprehensive service for motorists. This version also uses a single web address (www.myroadinfo.com.au) providing access to all MyRoadInfo sites.
