Junction traffic camera goes up – but won’t be on for a while

Six months after news of three new traffic cameras on the way to West Seattle (here’s our May story), installation is under way – but don’t expect to see the images immediately. We took the photo at left while driving through The Junction on Monday; Marybeth Turner with SDOT confirmed late yesterday that the contractor, Signal Electric, was installing a pole and camera. She added, “The contractor expects to complete the installation of this camera this week. We expect the camera will go live in March 2010. Cameras are not being turned on one at a time — the contractor will complete the various elements in the expanded system, test and coordinate them, and will turn them on all at once.” That expanded system also is scheduled to include a camera at 42nd/Alaska and one near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. Current cameras citywide are linked here (we’re still checking on when the West Seattle Bridge cameras will be working again).

Todd November 18, 2009 (8:44 am)

What about the West Seattle Bridge mid-span webcam, when will they fix this camera that has been under maintenance for months?

Robert2715 November 18, 2009 (8:57 am)

Never quite understood why the camera at the Admiral Way Overlook was never made available for the public.

dawsonct November 18, 2009 (9:10 am)

Thanks, Big Brother!

John November 18, 2009 (9:11 am)

Do we really need cameras here? Is traffic so horrible that we have to get on our computers to make sure we won’t be stuck in the horrific grid-locked west seattle junction traffic. I think our money could’ve been spent better

Leroniusmonkfish November 18, 2009 (9:20 am)

Maybe if this camera had been in place a year ago the killers of Steve Bushaw would have been apprehended?

bridge to somewhere November 18, 2009 (9:32 am)

yes, i guess i wonder what’s the point of this particular camera. does DOT really imagine people looking at the camera and deciding not to go to the junction because there are cars waiting at the stoplight? the west seattle bridge cam at least provides some value for commuters — i’ve used it to get a sense of whether traffic was clear before leaving west seattle, but i have never been compelled to worry about the traffic in the junction such that i would actually look it up!

GenHillOne November 18, 2009 (9:40 am)

oh…I had only read the headline until now. I assumed it was the ticketing variety and had hoped that it would get those who insist on holding everyone up while trying to turn left onto eastbound Alaska, grrrr. Agree with bridge to somewhere – weird choice.

WSB November 18, 2009 (9:43 am)

They have been working on an expanded traffic system to provide information on as many areas of the city as possible, so I think it may be a piece in that puzzle. I’ll have to go dig up some of the links we originally had. WRT red-light cameras, there haven’t been any new ones on the drawing board for WS as of our last check, but with a new city budget almost finalized, it may be time to start combing through the fine print! – TR

sam November 18, 2009 (9:51 am)

regarding taking info for puzzle pieces on an expanded traffic system, it seems like in this case, wouldn’t a wire across the road, with the data boxes work? don’t they collect info on # of cars/ speeds with those things?

if they don’t need to take photos of red light runners, and people won’t be looking at the camera view on the web to determine if they want to drive through the junction or not, I agree that a camera is waste of money.

mark November 18, 2009 (9:51 am)

What they really need to do is put a speed camera on Admiral Way coming up and going down the hill. Trying doing the speed limit and you are more than likely to get rear-ended. That or raise the speed limit to 40mph. They could fully fund the library with the ticket revenue alone.

pie November 18, 2009 (10:18 am)

Speaking of red light cameras, if the city wants to make some easy money, just install one at Oregon and Fauntleroy. The traffic on Fauntleroy thinks for some reason that the red light there means “Go ahead and go. And if possible, block the intersection. People coming from Oregon don’t need to get to work as much as you do.”

sgs November 18, 2009 (11:20 am)

If just for traffic monitoring purposes, why the need for another one just one block away at 42nd and Alaska?

Jim November 18, 2009 (11:53 am)

I have the same question as Robert. what’s the deal with the camera at admiral and Olga/36th they’ve been there for years now, but don’t show up anywhere on the SDOT page.

WSB November 18, 2009 (12:12 pm)

I published a story about that a long time back. It’s not a traffic camera, it’s a detect-traffic-flow-for-stoplight sensor thing (NOT a technical term), will look up the story if I can finish the story I have precisely 35 minutes to write (unrelated topic) – TR

dawsonct November 18, 2009 (12:54 pm)

Will it have biometric software so our government can, errr, protect us?
http://www.video-surveillance-guide.com/biometric-face-recognition.htm

dawsonct November 18, 2009 (1:03 pm)

Hmm, strange things indeed. Will I be able to post this NOW? How far will the monitoring go?
–
http://www.video-surveillance-guide.com/biometric-face-recognition.htm

dawsonct November 18, 2009 (1:04 pm)

Can we no longer post links in the comment section?

coffee November 18, 2009 (1:11 pm)

How about tickets for people who now think that the turn lane on Fauntleroy is a passing lane for people who are going the speed limit? I see at least 4-5 people a week passing people using the turn lane. Personally I would love it if that ferry dock was moved downtown. Its only used by people who speed through West Seattle to either go to work or go home.

GoGo November 18, 2009 (1:18 pm)

Stop light camera at the Delridge/Andover intersection would be great.

marty November 18, 2009 (5:03 pm)

Coffee: You forgot to mention the ferry uses who make u-turns on Fauntleroy to get into the ferry line. Dozens of them every night and they don’t care if they get in your way.

allmostRunOver November 18, 2009 (7:41 pm)

GOOD! too many crazy guy drivers out there! hope that black toyota forerunner erratic driver gets caught!

Mike F November 18, 2009 (11:31 pm)

Yeah, I don’t see the purpose of the ferry dock here. Is there that much traffic that originates on Vashon and ends in West Seattle, or vice-versa?

rico November 19, 2009 (7:56 am)

This is crazy. The streets are in terrible condition in many areas of town, yet significant dollars are spent by SDOT for worthless cameras.

Why is SDOT not taking care of the core mission?

One reason why is that city employees get tired of dealing with the same old repetitive stuff (fixing holes) so they creat more interesting special projects to spend their days (and your money) working on. Go to DPD and see how many people who used to do plan review are now working on special projects, well until recent layoffs that is.

Also, you know that furlough deal for city employees. It was not applied to police and fire dept. (understandable) but did you know that the city council just approved a 6.2% raise for fire fighters, while other city employees are taking a furlough.

I wonder how it feels to be a firefighter when your raise is paid for by other people’s loss of salary?

Sorry, comment time is over.