Electronic message boards are showing travel times to various exits between I-440 and I-95. The section of I-40 in southeast Wake and Johnston counties is the first in the state to get the sign. They're slated to be added to the rest of the Triangle and other high-traffic areas within the next year.

"Our future goal is to get travel times up whenever there are problems on the road," said JoAnn Oerter, travel information engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation.

Two signs on I-40 are programmed to light up whenever traffic gets heavy. A sign on eastbound I-40 near Jones Sausage Road gives estimated travel times to N.C. 42 and I-95. In the other direction, a sign just before the N.C. 42 exit gives times to U.S. 70 Business and I-440.

But some commuters say it doesn't help them get where they're going any faster.

"I really do not use them," said Earl Cavenaugh of McGee's Crossroads, who commutes to work at Pfizer in Research Triangle Park. "If I do decide to try an alternate route, it is just as bad if not worse, so generally I just stay on the highway."

Maureen Howard commutes from Four Oaks to Raleigh. She thinks the signs could be helpful but only if they provided more-detailed information on what -- and where -- the traffic problem is.

"This would allow us to make an informed decision on whether or not to remain on the major highway or to bail and take the back roads," Howard said. "Telling us that it will take eight minutes to travel to exit 312 is not much of a help. Telling me why is better."

But Oerter, the DOT engineer, said more-detailed information is added to the travel times whenever a major accident or lane closure is reported. Sometimes that preempts the travel-time message. "Accidents are our highest priority," she said.

Tammy Boyd said she'd find the signs helpful but noted that they sometimes aren't on when traffic is heavy.

"If the one near Jones Sausage Road was on, that might deter me from staying on I-40, but I never see that one on," Boyd said. "By the time I see the other sign, it's too late."

The Jones Sausage Road sign was out of commission for several months over the summer, but workers recently repaired it. That sign is also part of a traffic-times system offering recommendations on whether U.S. 70 Business or the Clayton Bypass is fastest.

The U.S. 70 travel-times system has been broken for months, as speed sensors on the bypass haven't been able to recognize different speeds going in each direction. "We are working to get that fixed," Boyd said.

Also out of action for the time being is an older electronic sign on I-40 westbound between the U.S 70 Bypass and the Garner-Clayton exit. That sign will have to be replaced, DOT officials said. Several commuters said they want to see a working sign there or in another location between the Cleveland community and Raleigh. Commuters getting on at N.C. 42 don't see the traffic-times sign for the road toward Raleigh.