Traffic Information and Cameras
Quicklinks:
(see text below for more info)
Statewide Road/Weather Conditions (RWIS)
511 Minnesota - direct to Metro area
MNDOT Freeway Cameras
In Feb 2002 MNDOT made almost all of their cameras accessible from the web, no streaming video though, gives an updated still every 60 seconds.
MNDOT has approximately 275 cameras in place covering about 2/3's of the Metro freeway system. They make the 494/694 loop as far east as 35E (694), Mounds Blvd (94) and 35E (494). 35W is covered from Buck Hill in Burnsville to Lexington Ave in Arden Hills. 35E is covered from the 35W split in Burnsville up to Little Canada Rd in Little Canada. 94 is covered from Weaver Lake Rd in Maple Grove to Mounds Blvd in St Paul. All video is carried via fiber optic cables trenched along the highway. No data is sent via R.F. - the poles on each camera are lighting rods. The cameras have full pan/tilt/zoom capability.
Another commonly seen traffic camera are Autoscopes, these are special camera units used in place of buried loop detectors. The camera has a built-in computer that creates a "virtual traffic loop", any vehicle passing through that loop is counted. Autoscopes can be used to trigger traffic lights or measure traffic speed. Good places to see Autoscopes are along Snelling Ave near University Ave, at the Hwy 62 & Hiawatha traffic lights, and at the exit from 494 to 24th Ave in Bloomington. The company that created the Autoscope is based in St Paul.
The most obvious difference between MNDOT cameras and Autoscopes is that the Autoscopes do not have the large heated cases or pan/tilt mechanisms.
Real-time Congestion maps
MNDOT has approximately 5000 buried loop detectors covering the same areas as the cameras. These detectors are every 1/4 mile and in each lane, as well as the on and off ramps. The detectors measure how many cars pass over in a 30 second time period (volume) and how long it took each car to pass (duration). Approximate traffic congestion can be estimated by factoring volume and duration, and then averaging that count over a 5 minute period.
Other Links of Interest:
Autoscope homepage
Excellent explanation of how
traffic congestion happens.
Make your own highway
signs
Georgia highway
cameras
Seattle highway cameras
Puget Sound highway
cameras
UK BBC radio information initiative TPEG
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