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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/2900981

Nov. 15, 2004, 12:48AM

On The Road

Rest stops to offer wireless Internet

Free wireless access to the Internet will soon be available at 102 highway rest stops across Texas.

The Texas Department of Transportation announced last month that it has signed an agreement with Road Connect, an Austin-based company, to install wireless access points at the rest areas within the next year.

Seven rest areas already provide access to the World Wide Web using wireless fidelity.

Andy Keith, TxDOT's rest area program manager, said those access points will be upgraded to provide additional services.

Five vendors submitted proposals this past summer to connect the rest areas, giving truckers and other travelers with laptop computers the ability to check e-mail, surf the Web and obtain road condition and weather reports.

Access will be free for two hours, after which charges will be assessed.

The project begins with rest stops on U.S. 90 near Hondo and Interstate 10 near Columbus. Installations there should be finished by year's end.

Road Connect will provide the wireless service at no charge to the state.

It hopes to make money by selling sponsorships and excess minutes.

The company has agreed to install Internet kiosks at the rest areas for travelers without a computer.

Road conditions site is upgraded

TxDOT recently launched a more user-friendly highway conditions page travelers can access on the Internet.

The upgraded site, www.dot.state.tx.us, features a Texas map that displays real-time updates on construction, poor weather or incidents expected to close a road or cause delays of at least half an hour.

From the homepage, click the "Road Conditions" icon and then "View Current Conditions."

"We have been able to greatly improve the system and make it much easier to use," said Mike Behrens, TxDOT executive director.

"We recommend that anyone planning a trip in Texas check our Web site before they hit the road."

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