The site's address will remain the same, but the underlying platform is being replaced. The change means users -- including news outlets -- will need to resubscribe for email alerts under the new system.
The upgrade introduces several new features, including customizable email alerts for specific routes or regions, real-time feeds from over 1,100 traffic cameras and the ability to view messages displayed on overhead digital highway signs. A free "DriveNC" app for iPhone and Android devices will also debut at noon on launch day.
Kelly Wells, a traveler information engineer with NCDOT's Traffic Systems Operations Unit, said the new system will give users far more control over the alerts they receive.
"What I think will be most exciting for folks are personalized alerts," Wells said. "You'll be able to set a region or a specific route and be notified when something happens. It's so customizable that you can say, 'I drive on I-40 in this location between 6:30 and 7 every morning,' and it will send you a text or email if something happens on your route."
Wells said the new platform replaces a more limited system that required NCDOT staff to manually subscribe organizations such as fire departments, school transportation offices and emergency managers to countywide alerts. The new version allows users to draw precise boundaries on a map and receive notifications only for incidents within that area.
DriveNC.gov has been a key public resource since it was created after Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Last year, the system logged more than 34,000 incidents, including crashes, construction closures and storm-related impacts. Nearly 1.4 million people used the site in 2025, generating about 2.2 million visits.
Automatic data feeds to commercial navigation apps such as Waze, Apple Maps and Google Maps will continue under the new platform.
NCDOT says the updated website is mobile-friendly and available to all travelers.