KNO B4 U GO: ODOT to help Cincinnati Fans
get to the Game with Twitter

COLUMBUS (Tuesday, October 5, 2010) - The Cincinnati Reds aren’t the only team gearing up for the playoff season. On Sunday, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be showing off its game-day E.R.A. - Easier Roads Ahead - by helping baseball fans avoid traffic tie-ups on the way to Great American Ball Park.

ODOT’s team at ARTIMIS - the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky traffic information center - will provide special pre-game and post-game traffic updates through ODOT’s Cincinnati Twitter feed.

"One hour before the first pitch and directly after the last pitch, our team will help your team make it to the ballgame safe," said ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris. "Having this type of information before you get behind the wheel gives you the opportunity to plan ahead - to know before you go."

In addition to sending "traffic tweets" on Twitter, ODOT has 40 electronic message boards located at key points along the interstates in the area to help drivers stay informed of any major delays.

On Sunday, ODOT highway crews will also be on standby should any major incident happen on the state’s highways.

Don’t want to drive? ODOT encourages you to think about taking transit. Most Metro bus routes serve downtown, just a couple of blocks from Great American Ball Park. For more information call Metro weekdays at (513) 621-4455.

More than 1,400 drivers already follow ODOT’s Cincinnati Twitter feed, receiving "tweets" on traffic conditions that impact interstates and highways in the area. ODOT also offers updates on highways in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.

Ohio is among a growing number of states using Twitter to offer updates on roadway conditions before motorists take to the highways. ODOT strongly discourages drivers from attempting to read these messages while operating a motor vehicle.

Every tweet includes the same 11-character beginning "KNO B4 U GO" as a reminder that this information is meant to be read before drivers leave home, work, or the big game.

Whether you are heading to the ballpark or elsewhere to watch the Reds play, remember to KNO B4 U GO and check out ODOT’s Twitter page at www.BuckeyeTraffic.org/twitter.

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