This month the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has made “real time” views from 38 new traffic cameras around the city available on the Internet to detect congestion and collisions and to monitor traffic and road conditions (see the list of locations below). The public is using information from the cameras to help make travel decisions, and SDOT traffic engineers are using the information to identify locations where they can make changes to improve traffic flow.

There are also eight new electronic “Dynamic Message Signs” (“DMS”) (locations also listed below) now operating on major arterials, providing travel alerts to people already on the road.

By the end of August, SDOT will add a few more cameras and six DMS signs. In addition, by the end of the year WSDOT will add six traffic cameras and six DMS signs that SDOT will own and operate, on State Route 99.

The views from the SDOT traffic cameras, as well as WSDOT cameras located within the city of Seattle, are available on the Travelers Map on SDOT’s website, http://web5.seattle.gov/travelers/ The Travelers site also indicates the level of congestion on major arterial streets and Seattle area state highways, and provides information on special events and construction likely to have significant impacts on traffic. A total of 19.7 million ‘hits” (visits) were made to the Travelers website in 2009, evidence of its importance as source of travel information.

New Traffic Cameras Available on Travelers Map

Southwest Seattle

SW Alaska Street and 42nd Avenue SW
SW Alaska Street and California Avenue SW
Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Cloverdale Street

Northwest Seattle

15th Avenue NW and NW 85th Street
15th Avenue NW and NW 65th Street (east-west)
15th Avenue NW and NW Leary Way
15th Avenue NW and NW Market Street (east-west)
15th Avenue NW and NW Market Street (north-south)
16th Avenue NW and NW 65th Street (north-south)

Northeast

15th Avenue NE and NE 75th Street
25th Avenue NE and NE 65th Street
Roosevelt Way NE and NE 75th Street

Fremont

Evanston Avenue N and N 36th Street
Fremont Avenue N and N 36th Street

Queen Anne/Magnolia

Queen Anne Avenue N and N Mercer Street
15th Avenue W and W Dravus Street
Western Avenue and Elliott Avenue W

Greater Downtown

First Avenue and Denny Way
Fifth Avenue and James Street
Boren Avenue and Howell Street
Boren Avenue and Seneca Street
Denny Way, Stewart and Yale
Dexter Avenue and Denny Way

Capitol Hill and Central Seattle

Broadway and E Pike Street (east-west)
East Madison and 16th Avenue
Eastlake Avenue E and Harvard Ave E
Broadway and E Roy Street ( end of August)
23rd Avenue E and E Cherry Street (north-south)
23rd Avenue E and E Cherry Street (east-west)
23rd Avenue E and East Madison Street (north-south)
23rd Avenue E and East Madison Street (east-west)

SODO and Georgetown

Fourth Avenue S and S Jackson Street
Airport Way S and S Lander Street
East Marginal Way S and S Hanford Street
East Marginal Way S and 16th Avenue S
East Marginal Way S and S Idaho Street
14th Avenue S and S Jackson Street ( end of August)

Southeast Seattle

12th Avenue S and S Boren Avenue
23rd Avenue S and S Jackson Street (north and south)
23rd Avenue S and S Jackson Street (east and west)

New Dynamic Message Signs Now Operating

First Avenue S and S Spokane Street
Fourth Avenue S and S Spokane Street
15th Avenue NW and NW 61 st Street
15th Avenue W and W Blaine Street
West Seattle Bridge
Terminal 5
35th Avenue SW and SW Snoqualmie Street
First Avenue South and South Bennett St

Dynamic Message Signs that SDOT will install by end of August:

14th Avenue NW and NW Holman Road
S Columbian Way and 14th Avenue S
SW Admiral Way and 34th Ave SW
Fauntleroy Way SW and 38th Ave SW
E Marginal Way S and S Idaho Street
Martin Luther King Way and S Juniper Street