Internet Will Offer Commuter Information

It won’t be long before Ventura County commuters will be able to check out the traffic on area freeways simply by flipping on their computers and merging onto the communication superhighway.

The Ventura County Transportation Commission has contracted with Bassworks Multimedia Communications of Thousand Oaks, to create a site on the Internet’s World Wide Web, which will provide a variety of local traffic-related information. The first phase of that project is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

Initially, the web site will include text and graphics regarding ride-share programs, county bus services, transportation services for disabled riders, park-and-ride programs and general information about the Transportation Commission.

There will also be a section providing local transportation news and another for public review and comment on traffic issues.

But the goal is to provide much more computerized information down the road.

“Right now, Caltrans has something in Los Angeles where you can log on to your computer and get a live map and see what traffic speeds are, at given places along the freeway,” said Jim Bass, president of Bassworks. “Our intention is to link up with Caltrans.”

Ginger Gherardi, executive director of the transportation commission, said the web site eventually would provide Metrolink and Amtrak train information, a bike map and a feature by which users could get specific directions to various destinations, such as Southern California airports.

Gherardi said many of the on-line services should be up and running within a couple of months. The site can be accessed at https://fishnet.net/~vctc/

The Transportation Commission received a $50,000 grant from the Southern California Assn. of Governments for the project.