Why might Apple and Google Maps not work in Milwaukee during the RNC?

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Numerous road closures and street parking restrictions are in place in downtown Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention.

We’ve been hearing anecdotally that some of the most-used navigation apps ― including Google Maps and Apple’s Maps ― are having difficulty keeping up with all the changes. But we’re also seeing that they’re working properly in many cases.

Although road closures are typically acknowledged in these apps, sometimes they do not update in real time, or not all closures show up on the map at once.

Additionally, heavy traffic and tricky detours are expected downtown this week, especially around the RNC vehicle security perimeter.

Here’s what to know.

WisDOT road closure information

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation also provides its own map service at 511wi.gov. The map will show you multiple routes to your destination using real-time data on closures, roadwork and special events, but it will not dictate directions step-by-step like a GPS app such as Apple or Google Maps.

What is the RNC vehicle security perimeter?

If you’re driving downtown during the RNC, you can access the outer ring of the convention’s security perimeter — the vehicle screening perimeter — with your car, but you’ll have to enter through one of five vehicle checkpoints. It’s likely you will have wait a bit to pass through these checkpoints, especially during peak commuting times, which is generally from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. The screening points are marked with red squares on the map below.

How to view road closures on Apple Maps

Tap the button with the car and arrow icons in the top right corner. Then select “Driving” or “Satellite” mode.
To get a road closure report, including when the information was last updated in Maps and the reason for closure, tap the closure icon (red circle with a white line through it) on the map.

More information here: Get traffic and weather info in Maps on iPhone – Apple Support.

Click here for information on reporting missing road closures, crashes and other hazards to Apple Maps.

How to view road closures on Google Maps

Click on the layers icon underneath the search bar in the right corner of your phone. Select the “Traffic” option under “Map details.”
To get a road closure report, including how long the road will be closed until, tap the closure icon (red circle with a white line through it) on the map.