General
sig alert
What does sig alert mean?
An official traffic advisory for an unplanned event that closes a lane for 30 minutes or more; used broadly for a bad LA traffic snarl.
"There's a sig alert on the 101, take surface streets."
Origin
Named for Loyd Sigmon, whose 1950s radio alert system fed LA traffic reports.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sig alert?
A sig alert is an official Los Angeles traffic advisory for an unexpected incident that blocks a lane for 30 minutes or more; the term is also used loosely for any bad traffic jam.
Where does the term sig alert come from?
It's named for Loyd Sigmon, who in the 1950s created a radio alert system that fed traffic reports to Los Angeles broadcasters.
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