The Idaho Transportation Department is officially decommissioning its Highway Advisory Radio or HAR communication system after suspending its operation on April 1.

[Above photo by the Idaho Transportation Department.]

The agency noted in a statement that there are 25 HAR sites and 58 beacons located around the state, broadcasting emergency information on the AM radio frequency. Yet that equipment is at the end of its useful life and no longer meets the state’s technology security requirements, it noted.

Furthermore, the Idaho Transportation Department said recent public opinion surveys show that the HAR system – although once popular – is now ranked well behind other more viable sources for information distribution, such as 511 or electronic highway message boards.