To plan around road construction in the United States, check the relevant state or local transportation agency’s official closure information first, identify the affected segment and work hours, then compare an official detour with other suitable routes. Recheck close to departure: construction schedules and traffic conditions can change, and a navigation app’s reroute is not confirmation that a road is open.
Where to find reliable road-closure information
Start with the Federal Highway Administration’s state-by-state traffic and road-closure directory. It points travelers to the appropriate state information service; it is not a universal route planner. As FHWA puts it, “Your first stop should be the National Traffic & Road Closure Information Web site.” The directory was updated April 20, 2026.
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Many states and localities provide traveler information through a 511 website or phone service, but the features and coverage differ by jurisdiction. Use the directory to find the official source for the roads you expect to travel, and look for the transportation agency’s project page when one is available.
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Read the closure notice for the specific road segment and travel time. A work zone may involve a complete closure, a lane restriction, or work limited to certain dates or hours. Check whether the agency has designated a detour, and follow project-page details when available; a general traffic map may not explain planned work or its schedule.
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Federal real-time reporting rules cover certain construction closure and reopening information. Under 23 CFR § 511.309, the applicable reporting intervals are no more than 20 minutes outside metropolitan areas and 10 minutes within them. These are requirements for covered reporting—not a guarantee that every consumer navigation app will immediately show every work-zone change.
How to compare alternate routes
Once you have confirmed the closure, compare routes that avoid the affected segment. An official detour is an important option, but you can also consider other routes if they are appropriate for your vehicle and trip.
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| Check | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Closure avoidance | Does the route bypass the confirmed closed segment, rather than merely suggesting a way through it? |
| Detour status | Has the responsible agency designated this route as a detour? |
| Travel time | Compare current estimates for the whole trip, not just the distance around the work zone. |
| Road type and complexity | Consider the roads used, turns, and how difficult the route may be to follow. |
| Suitability | Check whether the route works for your vehicle and the needs of your trip. |
Navigation apps can help compare estimated times and suggest alternatives, but do not treat an automatic reroute as proof that a closure is passable or that the route suits every vehicle. No single service is established as the most accurate in every location.
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Recheck before departure and travel safely
Check the official service again close to departure, especially if the trip is planned around work hours or a scheduled closure. Some state systems offer route-specific updates, saved-route alerts, alternate routes, or camera views, but availability varies. For example, Arizona’s AZ511 service documents these kinds of traveler-information features; Caltrans travel information is another state source. Consult the current service for your route rather than assuming another state offers the same tools.
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Set up your route before moving. If you need to check conditions or change the route while underway, use voice interaction where available or pull over before looking at the screen. The 511.org regional FAQ likewise advises using voice commands or pulling over to check traffic.
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