RITIS PDA Speed and Travel Time dashboards proved exceptionally valuable during Hurricane Milton in October 2024, delivering real-time situational awareness that supported critical operational decisions. FDOT leveraged RITIS not only for historical speed data and real-time travel time monitoring to inform actions such as activating Emergency Shoulder Use, but also to complement the state’s extensive network of speed and volume sensors—creating a more complete picture of traffic behavior across Florida’s major roadways.
During Hurricane Milton, which triggered widespread evacuations across much of Florida, FDOT (fulfilling ESF 1/3 roles) closely monitored traffic patterns. From October 5–13, 2024, FDOT collected and analyzed real-time and historical traffic data via the RITIS platform—including nearly 120,000 hourly traffic counts along major roadways—along with complementary datasets from the Georgia DOT.
FDOT also developed an interactive map application and animated video that clearly depicted traffic patterns before, during, and after the storm. The resulting visualizations powerfully illustrate how the public responded to the emergency and provide critical insights to strengthen future preparedness and response strategies.
