The Information Society Development Committee under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, PC Central Project Management Agency and the Lithuanian Road Administration under the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania signed the financing and administrating contract of the project “Traffic Information System of Roads of National Significance”. The project was commenced on 1 April 2009, and the estimated duration is 24 months. The project will be co-financed by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund, and the total planned budget makes up LTL 20 million.

The goal of the project when implementing advanced information technologies is to solve problems on the Lithuanian roads of national significance. Therefore, electronic services will be upgraded and developed and will include the provision of comprehensive information about traffic conditions to road users.

It is planned to implement information systems providing information about traffic conditions, traffic disruptions and traffic control measures used on the roads. When this modern traffic information system is implemented on the Lithuanian roads of national significance, the provision of the following new electronic services will be started:

·       information about road works, their duration, traffic diversions, possible delays due to road works;

·       real time information about traffic volumes and the average speed on separate road sections, warnings about traffic disruptions;

·       information about restrictions on the roads due to climatic conditions, traffic accidents or any other reasons (duration of restrictions, traffic diversions, possible delays);

·       road weather information, information about the condition of the road pavement (slipperiness), warnings about dangers on the roads; 

·       planning of routes taking into consideration traffic restrictions and traffic conditions.

The implementation of the Traffic Information System will enable travellers to obtain relevant and accurate information about traffic conditions on the roads through the use of new technologies. This will also enable travellers to prepare for possible dangers in advance, to choose a safe traffic speed, driving time, and a suitable route as well as to reduce a negative impact of unfavourable traffic conditions. It will also enhance traffic safety and optimize transport flows on the roads of national significance. Losses incurred by travellers due to traffic disruptions will be cut and the environmental pollution will be reduced. The electronic services of providing information on traffic conditions will encourage the development of new technologies all over Lithuania.

The traffic information system will enable to save funds for road maintenance, for example, the regional road maintenance companies will use less fuel and salt for the road maintenance in winter.