Highway advisory radio in the state of New Jersey

Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) is a broadcasting system used by transportation agencies to disseminate vital real-time traffic information to motorists. Each transmitter is restricted by the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to an average broadcast radius of three to five miles. Most commonly these transmitters are located at major highway intersections, such that motorists may take alternate routes in case of congestion or emergencies.All operational HAR transmitters in New Jersey were identified and their coverage zones were quantitatively characterized in terms of the signal to noise ratio at the receiver. These experimental results were then compared to subjective qualitative audio reception, and detailed maps of HAR coverage zones along New Jersey highways were drawn. This data, knowledge of current deployments of HAR around the country, and information concerning availability and pricing by vendors, were combined. Finally, recommendations for future implementations of HAR systems in the state of New Jersey to meet the needs of motorists were drawn.