News Release

New Traffic Reporting Service for Motorists

(Wednesday, November 13/2002)-- Beginning this week (Friday, November 15^th), motorists will be able to tune into a local community radio station and get the latest traffic updates.

Halifax Regional Police, RCMP Metro Traffic Services, 911 Communications Centre, Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission, Metro Transit, HRM Public Works and Transportation and the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works will have direct access to Halifax Information Radio (97.9 FM) to provide municipal and provincial road reports when conditions warrant, 24-hours a day.

"Discretionary access"means the service will be accessible directly by one or more of these participating agencies only when traffic accidents, road surface conditions or unusual traffic or highway disruptions occur. Software developed for Halifax Information Radio has been installed with microphones in computers at emergency control centres, so that recorded announcements can be sent directly to the station's transmitter at the CBC Tower on Geiser's Hill in Halifax. The reports can be removed from the broadcast loop at an appointed time entered into the software program by the reporting agency.

The agencies have also agreed to provide a series of public service announcements on Halifax Information Radio in the interests of public awareness and public safety.

Halifax Information Radio is a low-power station broadcasting on 97.9 FM. It was licensed by the CRTC this summer and launched June 29^th.

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John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531

Jack McGaw
Owner/Operator Halifax Information Radio
(902) 423-5585