Minnesota Department of Transportation to begin using wireless emergency alerts 

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced on Monday that they have entered an agreement with the Emergency Management Agency to begin using Wireless Emergency Alerts. Wireless Emergency Alerts use the same system that notify area residents of things like AMBER Alerts and Natural Disasters. 

With Wireless Emergency Alerts the Minnesota DoT will now be able to send out immediate alerts to area residents. These alerts will be able to notify area residents of road closures, and vehicular accidents that have happened in their area among other relevant traffic alerts. 

The Alerts will only be sent for closures on state highways and interstates under the agency’s jurisdiction and will be sent to all mobile phones within a one-mile band around the highway, beginning 10 miles ahead of any closure location.