Privacy Policy

Who operates PNW Roads

PNW Roads is an independently operated road, weather, fire, public-safety, wildlife, and public-health information service available at pnwroads.com and through the PNW Roads Android app. PNW Roads is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government agency.

Privacy questions and data requests can be sent to admin@pnwroads.com.

Information we handle

• Optional location: If you enable automatic county matching or choose a location button, your device provides latitude and longitude so PNW Roads can match your county. General browsing does not require location access.
• Road reports: A submitted report can include a road or landmark, map pin, observation time, description, optional photographs, and optional name, email address, and mobile number.
• Feedback and support: Bug reports and feature requests can include contact information, written content, page URLs, and optional attachments.
• Technical information: Our hosting systems can process IP address, browser or device user-agent information, request timestamps, security logs, session cookies, and similar information needed to operate and protect the service.
• Device storage: The app can use session storage or local storage for preferences such as display mode and install state. These preferences remain on your device unless you clear them.

How location works

Location is optional. Before the first location request, PNW Roads displays an in-app disclosure and asks you to allow county matching. If enabled, the app can automatically request your current location when you open or actively use PNW Roads so it can match your county and show nearby alerts. PNW Roads does not request background location when the app is closed or not in use.

For county matching, coordinates are sent over an encrypted connection to PNW Roads and then to the U.S. Census Geocoder. County-lookup coordinates are not intentionally saved in the PNW Roads application database or used for advertising. Your automatic-county-matching choice can be stored on your device as a preference.

If you capture or enter a map pin as part of a road report, those coordinates are stored with the report so an administrator can review and verify it. You can deny location access and select a state, county, and location manually.

How we use information

We use information to match nearby counties, route users to appropriate official resources, review and verify road reports, provide private report-status pages, respond to support requests, send requested status emails, prevent abuse, secure the service, and maintain reliable app operation.

PNW Roads does not sell personal information and does not use submitted personal information for targeted advertising.

When information is shared

Information can be processed by service providers that support hosting, security, file storage, and email delivery. A user-initiated county lookup sends coordinates to the U.S. Census Geocoder. When you follow an external official-source link, the destination site receives information according to its own privacy practices.

Verified road details may be rewritten or published as a PNW Roads alert after administrator review. Reporter contact information, IP address, user-agent information, and private tracking token are not intentionally published. Information may also be disclosed when required by law or necessary to protect users, the public, or the service.

Retention and deletion

Road reports, feedback, attachments, technical logs, and related records are retained only as long as reasonably needed for review, verification, safety history, support, security, legal compliance, and service operation. Records can be deleted, anonymized, or retained longer when required for security, fraud prevention, legal obligations, or an ongoing public-safety record.

You may request access, correction, or deletion by emailing admin@pnwroads.com. Include enough information to identify the submission, such as its tracking URL or the email address used. We may need to verify that you are authorized to make the request.

Security and children

PNW Roads uses encrypted HTTPS connections and access controls appropriate to the service. No internet service can guarantee absolute security. PNW Roads is intended for a general road-travel audience and is not directed to children under 13.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the app, legal requirements, or data practices change. The effective date above will be updated when material changes are published.