Periodic redesigns of government web sites are a good thing. You don't want to let them get stale. But sometimes the quest for a new look leaves it difficult to find basic services.

That's what happened when  the State Highway Administration revamped its web site in a way that makes its useful CHART system -- which tracks current conditions on main Maryland roads -- difficult to find.

Don't believe it? Go to the SHA web site and see whether you can find a link to the service that offers live camera shots, frequently updated incident reports and real-time measures of how traffic is flowing. Oh, there's a way. You can pull down the  tab that says  "Commuter & Travel" and go down to "Live Traffic" and you'll end up  at the CHART opening page. But after all the work SHA has done to build up a brand identity for CHART, why is the name suddenly banished from its web page?

Somehow I have  to believe that was not the intent.