Public Notice
A letter from the Grand Traverse County (MI) Road Commission summarizing the traffic study they completed on the stretch of S. Airport road where digital technology was deployed on March 25, 2007. In analyzing 2006 and 2007 crash data, there was no reference to driver distraction in the crash report, nor any inference that the digital billboard contributed to any crashes. The fact is crashes actually decreased in the area analyzed.
"When Senator Coleman and I landed, we’re driving in . . . and there were already billboards at 9:00 in the morning -- actual billboards -- telling people where to go for alternative routes."
- Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – August 2, 2007
Within 15 minutes of the bridge collapse in Minnesota, digital billboards in the Minneapolis market were displaying an emergency message, highlighting the nimble nature of this medium:
- The bridge collapsed on August 1 at 6:19 p.m., after normal business hours
- The creative was produced from a laptop at home (attached).
- At 10:30 pm that evening, the message changed (attached), encouraging motorists to take alternate routes
The following day, when officials converged on Minneapolis to inspect the damage, they noticed the billboards. Speaking on national TV on August 2, US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) cited the emergency messaging on digital billboards as a positive community response:
Governments are using digital billboards to deliver information to the public:
- After a bridge collapsed in Minneapolis on August 1, digital billboards in the area were dedicated to Minnesota DOT -- within 15 minutes -- to communicate safety and traffic information.
- In Mississippi, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) used digital billboards to help brand a website that provides real-time information about traffic conditions.
- The City of Albuquerque offers "Green Tips" (practical steps on behalf of the environment, such as conserving water).
- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and a group called Wildlife Forever used digital billboards to promote the opening of the 2007 fishing season. A "Countdown to Fishing" was displayed on six digital boards across the Twin Cities market.
"As a conservation organization, Wildlife Forever has a vested interest in developing the next generation of conservationists" says Douglas Grann, President and CEO of Wildlife Forever. "Our goal is to encourage more people to participate in outdoor recreation so they will have a better understanding of the importance of conserving our fish and wildlife." - In early 2007, Milwaukee County Deputy Tim Johnson was cleaning up an accident on I-94 when he was hit by an out-of-control vehicle. A father of two, Johnson, 29, is recovering from serious injuries. Law enforcement leaders unveiled a public-service campaign to remind motorists that state law requires them to slow down and move over to avoid emergency vehicles. "Move Over" messages were posted on digital billboards operated by Clear Channel Outdoor and Lamar Advertising Company.
Minneapolis Bridge Collapse Alert:
Mississippi DOT Public Service:
In Albuquerque, NM, officials used digital billboards to inform the public about an emergency simulation test.
