MapQuest Blog

We're pleased to announce the launch of our new Current Traffic feature. Now when you bring up a map or generate driving directions, with one click you can easily visualize traffic conditions in most major US metros. This is a great way to quickly check traffic as you begin your commute home from the office, or before heading out to the airport, concert, ballpark, or mall. Keep in mind that once you've started your trip, MapQuest Traffic is a real-time feature (updated every five minutes) and things can change quickly once you're on the road.

How to use Traffic:

Traffic view of Miami, FL


There are two main parts to the feature:

1. Relative speed or Flow: This is the green/yellow/red highlights over major roads which indicate congestion levels. Think of the colors like this:
   
   Green = Smooth sailing
   Yellow = Congestion building - be extra cautious and look out for slowing traffic
   Red = Backed up! Plan to be patient, try a detour, or wait for things to improve
   
   
   
2. Incidents and Construction: Pretty simple – just click on the icons to get more info, or toggle the display on/off using the boxes in the Current Traffic legend.
   
   Incidents: Accidents and other events which might impact normal traffic flow
   Construction: That stuff that keeps you from getting to your favorite vacation spot on time every summer!
   

Traffic view with Incident Info open:


MapQuest Traffic provides exceptional coverage in over 100 metro areas. So, try it out for your own daily driving needs and let us know what you think. To find out more about MapQuest Traffic and other cool new features, check out Exploring MapQuest!