If You Live In LA The Term ‘SigAlert’ Is Way Too Familiar. But Why Is It Called That? (2024)

IN THIS ARTICLE

  • How did SigAlerts begin?
  • How an early SigAlert caused traffic

There’s a term you’ve probably come across more than once while traveling around Southern California: SigAlert.

It’s one of the best ways to keep on top of traffic delays in near real-time, but they’re also a harbinger of stress. If a SigAlert is issued on your route, good luck getting to your destination on time. There could be a car stalled on the freeway, a car crash or any number of other problems shutting down lanes.

But do you know why they're called SigAlerts? They actually started out as a radio tool.

How did SigAlerts begin?

Before SigAlerts lived online in an interactive map, and were issued by the California Highway Patrol, they came from a specialized radio receiver that broadcast recorded messages.

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In the early ‘50s, civil defense officials had been looking into how to make an alert system in case of an attack from the U.S.S.R., which became the brainchild of Loyd Sigmon, executive vice president at L.A.’s KMPC radio station.

What defines a SigAlert?

  • It’s any unplanned event that causes the closing of at least one lane of traffic for 30 minutes or more, according to its website.

The system was first officially tested in November 1954. In City Hall, officials pressed a red button that took KMPC off air and instead broadcast civil defense information to listeners. Think of it like a Cold War version of the emergency alert system — the idea was to get urgent updates out fast, like potential attacks or major flooding.

A number of Southern California broadcasters signed on to install the necessary equipment, including KNX. Devices were also installed at the offices of civil defense personnel to speed up the process.

Where to find SigAlerts

  • Yes, you can look up SigAlerts and other real-time traffic information yourself by visiting SigAlert.com.

Sigmon also thought of a more daily use for the system. He approached the L.A. Police Department with an idea: set up a process for police departments to call the station when major traffic jams occur. But that wasn't really feasible for officers to do every time.

It’s unclear how many times Sigmon customized devices to use the SigAlert system in different ways, but according to SigAlert researcher Harry Marnell, for the LAPD, he used a $600 shortwave receiver and tape-recording device that booted up with a special tone. The LAPD would receive details from other agencies and then press a button to record and send that special tone with the information to radio stations (like a high-stakes telephone game).

The system, which was put into widespread use in Greater L.A. on Labor Day 1955, was intended to tell the public about a range of concerns: major freeway tie-ups, smog alerts, fire, explosions, dense fog and “atomic” attacks.

Today, it’s just about major traffic delays. Relaying of emergency information lies with things like the emergency alert system. But Sigmon has gone down in history as pioneering a way for mass communication. He died in 2004 when he was 95.

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How an early SigAlert caused traffic

Ironically, a SigAlert sort of created a big traffic jam.

Did you know?

  • Before Loyd Sigmon died, he was known to drive around in a cream-colored Lincoln Continental coupe with the vanity license plate “SIGALRT.”

  • The Santa Monica Pier’s bumper cars are also named after Sigmon’s work, dubbed Sig Alert EV. Their website says "Our Sig Alert EV is a great way to blow off steam after an hours-long commute to the west side"

In January 1956, a major train derailment happened — the Santa Fe train wreck — and an alert went out asking for any available doctors and nurses to respond. But so many people responded — including nosy onlookers — that it turned into an even bigger mess.

Priests, who were asked to come for spiritual help, were caught in traffic or turned away because of the amount of people driving over.

The derailment killed 30 people and injured 117. But the LAPD’s use of the SigAlert called into question exactly how effective (or ineffective) it was to broadcast such requests for help without a way to control the traffic build-up.

The L.A. Times put out an editorial days after the wreck that called out local authorities for poorly managing the emergency.

And while it praised how the SigAlert brought a swift medical response, the editorial board wrote that “nobody had the wit to stop” the onlookers on the highways.

What questions do you have about how L.A. works?

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If You Live In LA The Term ‘SigAlert’ Is Way Too Familiar. But Why Is It Called That? (2024)

FAQs

If You Live In LA The Term ‘SigAlert’ Is Way Too Familiar. But Why Is It Called That? ›

While many Californians might assume “Sig” is short for “Signal,” it's not. “Sig” was a person. Loyd “Sig” Sigmon was the chief engineer for radio station KMPC in Los Angeles. In 1955, he devised a plan to boost ratings by asking Los Angeles police to call him whenever there was a major crash.

Where did the term Sigalert come from? ›

Sigalerts are named after an early radio engineer in Los Angeles, Loyd Sigmon. You can read more about Loyd Sigmon and the history of Sigalerts on Wikipedia.

What is a Sigalert in Los Angeles? ›

Sig alert, Sig-alert or Sigalert in California, as well as other parts of the United States, means an incident that significantly disrupts road traffic.

What is a Sigalert in police terms? ›

The official Highway Patrol definition of a Sigalert is any unplanned event that causes the closing of one lane of traffic for 30 minutes or more, as opposed to a planned event like road construction, which is planned separately.

Who invented the Sigalert? ›

It was created in the early '50s by Loyd Sigmon, a radio executive at L. A's KMPC station. During the Cold War, civil defense officials were looking into how to make an alert system, a project that Sigmon developed.

Who owns Sigalert? ›

A SigAlert is a notification system used by the California Highway Patrol to alert drivers about incidents that disrupt traffic flow, typically on interstates or major roads. Whenever a freeway is closed due to a crash – that's a SigAlert. While many Californians might assume “Sig” is short for “Signal,” it's not.

Is there a Sigalert app? ›

The Sigalert iPhone app is simple to use, but packed with information: *** MORE THAN JUST RED/YELLOW/GREEN - Sigalert offers incredibly detailed speed information. Sigalert's users know when traffic is moving 25 miles per hour and when it's moving 40 miles per hour.

What is rush hour in Los Angeles? ›

Rush Hour. Los Angeles is like most other cities in the country regarding rush hour. Drivers traveling to and from work clog the roads between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. during morning rush hour and between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the evening. During these hours, the freeways are always jammed.

Does the 405 go through LA? ›

The entire route is known as the northern segment of the San Diego Freeway. I-405 is a bypass auxiliary route of I-5, running along the southern and western parts of the Greater Los Angeles urban area from Irvine in the south to Sylmar in the north.

What is the traffic radio station in California? ›

Los Angeles, CA Traffic | 102.7 KIIS-FM.

Why are police called 5-0? ›

“5-0” (pronounced five-oh) became a popular nickname after the television show Hawaii Five-O which aired from 1968 to 1980. “Five-o” referred to the Hawaiian police force in the show, based on Hawaii being the fiftieth state to join the union.

Why are police called 12? ›

Why do they call the police 12 in the United States? Police are called 12 as a slang term. 12 comes from the police radio code '10-12', which means that visitors are present in the area where police are going. It's similar to a warning to police that they might have company when they arrive on the scene.

What does the 6 letter police mean? ›

Police. Polite Obedient Loyal Intelligent Courageous Efficient.

What is the slang for police? ›

Bobby, Barney and Smokey the Bear are some slang words for police that are as old as the hills or at least date back to when the first cop pulled the first speeding motorist over for breaking the law. Nicknames for cops are one of the constants of all countries.

What is the abbreviation for police? ›

The most common abbreviation for "police" is "PD," which stands for "Police Department." However, depending on the context, other abbreviations like "LEO" (Law Enforcement Officer) or "LEA" (Law Enforcement Agency) may also be used.

What does cop slang mean? ›

Cop is an informal, somewhat derogatory word for a police officer. When it's a verb, it means "to steal" or to "strike an attitude." An angry cop might say to a young troublemaker, "Hey, don't cop an attitude with me!" In the US, a legal defendant can also "cop a plea," or agree to a plea bargain.

What are some police sayings? ›

"Back in the bag" means a cop is back in her uniform after working clandestinely in street clothes.
  • "Light up" Cops "light up" when they turn on their emergency lights in order to stop somebody. ...
  • "Street Justice" ...
  • "On the box" ...
  • "Cherry patch," "Duck pond," or "Cash register" ...
  • "Skated" ...
  • "Terry Stop" ...
  • "Good for" ...
  • "Deuce"
Jan 9, 2014

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