In case you wondered too: Cameras behind Admiral Way sign

| Transportation | West Seattle news

We’re learning more about the type of traffic information the city’s new technology is supposed to bring us in the future – today, thanks to a question e-mailed by Dave, who wrote, “Heading down the (Admiral Way) hill toward the bridge today, I noticed two cameras mounted behind the new reader board. I am guessing speed cameras, as there is one for each lane.” (The small cameras are hard to see in our photo – but they’re side by side on the metal overhang just past the message board.) We checked with SDOT. Nope – something else, explains Marybeth Turner:

The cameras are part of the travel time network the city of Seattle is putting together to provide the public with travel time information (how long it is taking to get to certain destinations). The West Seattle Dynamic Message Sign will be outfitted with travel time information–how long it is taking to get to SR-99 exit, First Ave South and I-5. This information will help folks to make a decision on which route to select. We anticipate this information will be available to the public at the end of September. We will also provide the travel time information on Traveler’s Information Map.

To come up with the travel-time info – cameras like these, and others, snap your license plate. Turner says, “We read a license plate from point A to point B to figure out the travel time of a segment of a road. The data is encrypted and never stored.”

Eddie July 2, 2010 (6:28 am)

Won’t be available until the end of September. In the meantime, while one eastbound lane of the elevated Spokane Street structure is closed to connect the new 4th Ave offramp, the sign will continuously flash “Give Up and Turn Around – You’re Not Going To Move Anytime Soon!”

justme July 2, 2010 (6:28 am)

Here we go Big Brother

Alistair July 2, 2010 (8:06 am)

Yeah….. so we know you’re speeding, but we promise not to send any tickets out. This is not a revenue making project….

Riiiigghht…..

J July 2, 2010 (9:35 am)

Oh, for heaven’s sake, justme and Alistair! Lots of people are going to find this useful when it gets going. You’ll be able to make informed decisions about routes. And if you’re speeding–well, I wish they WOULD ticket you!

jsrekd July 2, 2010 (9:57 am)

I don’t mind the laws being enforced, really, but anyone else wonder why we’re spending money on stuff like this in the current economy? Yeah, yeah, probably budget decisions made and money spent long before the economy turned around – but as a city worker taking mandatory furloughs – it bugs me ;-)

jeez July 2, 2010 (10:52 am)

This is the first step, next cameras on every corner like London. Soon our every move will be on camera just like the movie Pleasantville.

JAC July 2, 2010 (11:20 am)

Stop freaking out, people! With all of the construction that will be affecting our commute off the peninsula, every bit of extra info will be welcome…

Branden July 2, 2010 (11:21 am)

Pleasantville was set in the 1950s, and there were no traffic cameras. The movie was about race, not Big Brother ;)

Meegan July 2, 2010 (12:24 pm)

At least you have a message board on Admiral. We on Delridge are just left guessing.

Angie July 2, 2010 (12:31 pm)

I guess it will be interesting information but it’s not like we have an alternate route to try. Is knowing better than not knowing how long you’ll be sitting there?… I’m not sure.

flynlo July 3, 2010 (9:56 am)

…Turner says, “We read a license plate from point A to point B to figure out the travel time of a segment of a road. The data is encrypted and never stored.”…

Give me a break! If the data is “never stored” how to they calculate the time from point A to point B? The data has to be stored at least from the time it is recorded at point A to the time that it is recorded at point B. Since no one knows where point B is, until it happens, the data has to be stored for some finite length of time. Did the city develop this system or was it developed by a private company? The latter, I suspect. If it was the latter, has the city verified that the “data is encrypted”? Has the city verified that the encryption technology used meets any standards? What verification has the city done to ensure that there is NO other use being made of the data? Did the city have any “disinterested third party” evaluate this system for any privacy concerns before it was contracted?