The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will end broadcasts from its Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) system in Hampton Roads on December 6, 2025. The HAR system, which began in the early 1970s and was upgraded in the late 1990s, has reached the end of its operational life due to aging technology and lack of replacement parts.
The Hampton Roads District was the last VDOT district in Virginia to maintain its HAR service after other districts had already retired their systems. According to VDOT Hampton Roads District Engineer Mike Davis, “This isn’t about ending a service; it’s about improving how we reach drivers. The Highway Advisory Radio has done its job for decades, but the technology has reached the end of its useful life. Retiring it now allows us to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars by focusing our resources on modern communication tools that provide faster, more reliable information to more drivers while continuing that same mission to keep travelers informed.”
The move is part of a broader trend among transportation agencies across the country that are moving away from legacy radio systems and toward digital communication platforms that can deliver travel information more quickly and efficiently.
Drivers will still have access to travel updates through several sources. VDOT’s free 511 Virginia website and mobile app offer statewide traffic information including incidents, congestion, road conditions, construction alerts, and live camera feeds. Users can also call 5-1-1 within Virginia for voice-activated traffic updates via phone. Nearly 200 digital message signs along Hampton Roads roadways display estimated travel times and incident alerts. Additionally, navigation apps such as Waze incorporate VDOT’s traffic data for real-time updates.
The Hampton Roads HAR system consisted of eight transmitters providing continuous local travel information within a limited radius along regional interstates. However, because each transmitter operated at low power under Federal Communications Commission regulations, broadcast quality was often inconsistent due to atmospheric interference and terrain issues. These limitations contributed to VDOT’s decision to retire the system in favor of newer technologies.
