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CommuteScout

by nicglazkov
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Hybrid

get_lane_closures

Read-only

Retrieve active lane and road closures across California from Caltrans, filterable by route, district, or location, with closure type and estimated delays.

Instructions

Caltrans lane and road closures physically in place RIGHT NOW.

Data: the Caltrans Lane Closure System (LCS). Only closures that crews have actually established (CHP code 1097) and not yet picked up are returned - scheduled-but-not-started closures are excluded, so this is "what is blocking lanes now", not a construction calendar. Refresh: 5-minute cache over per-district Caltrans feeds.

Filters: route (e.g. "I-80", "US 101", "1"); district (Caltrans district 1-12, e.g. 3 = Sacramento/Tahoe, 4 = Bay Area, 7 = Los Angeles); center "lat,lon" with radius_km - closures whose begin or end point is inside the circle. For a town or place, center is the filter that catches work on EVERY road around it, including small state routes.

Read closure_class on each record, it is what the closure means for through traffic:

  • "full-roadway": the road itself is closed in that direction. The only class that means "you can't drive through".

  • "ramp": a ramp or connector is closed (even when the raw record says "Full", that means the ramp is fully closed, not the highway).

  • "one-way-traffic": alternating single lane with flagging; passable with delays. Common on two-lane mountain roads.

  • "alternating-lanes", "moving", "traffic-break": rolling or brief work; minor delays.

  • "lane": some lanes closed; the lanes field says how many of how many. estimated_delay_minutes is present when crews reported one. Shoulder-only work is excluded entirely.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
routeNo
centerNo
districtNo
radius_kmNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv2.82.1

TDQS

A5/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Despite readOnlyHint and openWorldHint annotations, the description adds substantial behavioral detail: it cites the Caltrans LCS source, the 5-minute cache, the CHP 1097 inclusion rule, the meaning of each closure_class value, and that estimated_delay_minutes appears only when crews reported it. This goes well beyond the annotations and leaves little hidden behavior.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is long but tightly organized with labeled sections and a bulleted closure_class breakdown. Every sentence provides decision-relevant information, and the 'RIGHT NOW' scope is front-loaded so the agent immediately understands the tool's core behavior.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description takes on the burden of explaining return semantics, and it does so thoroughly: closure_class values, lanes field meaning, estimated_delay_minutes presence, and exclusions. An agent has enough to select filters, interpret results, and avoid misclassifying ramp closures as full-roadway closures.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, but the description compensates fully. It defines route with concrete examples, explains district values and regions, specifies center as 'lat,lon' with radius_km, and clarifies that center is the right way to capture work on all roads around a place. This adds meaning the bare schema entirely lacks.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The first sentence says exactly what the tool does: returns 'Caltrans lane and road closures physically in place RIGHT NOW.' It names the resource, the scope (live closures, not a construction calendar), and explicitly distinguishes itself from scheduled-work data, so an agent can separate it from siblings like get_incidents or get_wildfires.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear when-to-use context: live closures only, with scheduled-but-not-started and shoulder-only work excluded. It also explains which filter is right for different situations, especially that 'center' catches work on every road around a town, and routes agents to read closure_class to interpret what each closure means.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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