Lights, Camera, VDOT!
Interested in viewing current traffic conditions on your home computer?
Take a peek at http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/eoc/eoc-mainWEbcams.asp
VDOT has placed a series of web cams up and down the I-81 corridor, as well as several other places throughout The Commonwealth so travelers can look at real time images of current traffic conditions.
The cost of the project was $1.5 million.
The benefit? It’s hard to say at this point.
As traffic management technology continues to evolve, I am sure the cameras will play a vital role.
For example, maybe someday GPS navigation systems could be made to display Internet feeds, or use the information in the feeds or on the web to re-route a traveler around traffic accidents, etc. Some GPS systems probably already do this, but they are out of reach for most drivers.
Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to mandate that all new cars be required to have GPS systems in them…….
posted by RBV @ 8:16 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Gee, all we need is something else to distract drivers from driving.
Knowing there is a problem ahead isn't much good without an alternate route or a means to reach them, since interstates are limited access and limited exit, warnings there are of the least use.
On 66 there are programmable signs to give warning of traffic problems. Mostly they fail to wrn of problems in time and other times they warn of problems when there are none. You hate ot pay that ind of money for information that is either bad, or useless.
Another process offers more hope, I think. It analyzes cell phone signals and warns of traffic jam ups when groups of signals become stationary. Presumably the system could give you a hands off audio warning. In this case the equipment is out there, the signals are out there, and all that needs to be put in place is the system to analyze the situation.
Your point about alternate routes is well taken. I agree the cell phone technology seems like a plausible idea. I had not heard of it until now.
I was somewhat perplexed as to how a web cam does a driver stuck in traffic any good. You would need to know of the backup miles ahead of time in order to avoid it, and in many situations the only way to avoid it would be to get off the road and wait. This is not an option in most cases, particularly when traveling on the Interstate.
But, I still think that integrating new technology into cars/phones/computers could do a lot to alleviate traffic problems.
I can take about 5 different routes to get to my local Big Box store. If I knew ahead of time what the best route would be I would be more inclined to take it as opposed to the one I think might be the best way.
As a society, we are years away from having this capability, but if we can’t pave our way out of traffic congestion, developing new technologies seems like a good alternative.
Well, the time may be upon us when we literally can't pave our way out. It seems there is now a shortage of the tar used to make asphault. Refinery capacity as a whole is down, and that tar is a byproduct of making other fuels. Also, the higher price those other fuels sell for the more you can afford to spend cracking the heavy tars into lighter distillatesm meaning that you have less tar to sell.
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