| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Sandy Myers 540-332-9201 Stauntoninfo@VDOT.Virginia.gov Susan Bernard 540-332-9264 |
STAN-089 2005 June 1, 2005 |
POLES ALONG I-81, I-64 AND I-66 WILL BE HOME TO TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Travelers in the Shenandoah Valley are noticing recently erected 30-foot tall wooden poles at many interstate interchanges. The poles are part of the Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District interstate camera project. Pole installation by Richardson Wayland Electrical Corp. of Roanoke is scheduled for completion by July 31, 2005.
Digital Traffic Systems (DTS) has been awarded a $1.1 million contract to install the cameras. Camera installation and activation is scheduled to be complete by early 2006.
In late 2003 and early 2004 four pilot camera sites were installed that included 30-foot poles. The pilot sites are located at Exit 298 near Strasburg, Exit 283 near Woodstock, Exit 264 near New Market and at Exit 99 on Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain.
VDOT officials conducted tests between fall 2003 and the summer of 2004 on the new cameras to be sure they functioned correctly and they receive clear communications to and from VDOT offices. This time-frame allowed the cameras to function in various weather conditions.
With the conclusion of the pilot period VDOT is now preparing the new camera sites for the installation of 26 cameras along Interstates 66, 64 and 81 in the VDOT Staunton district. On Interstate 81, the northern most camera location is at Exit 323, the site of the recently widened bridge on Route 669, which crosses over Interstate 81. The southern most location on Interstate 81 is Exit 180 at Fancy Hill in Rockbridge County. The camera located at Shenandoah University at Exit 313 on Interstate 81 has been replaced with a new camera, but its location did not change.
On Interstate 66 a camera will be placed at Exit 6 at Front Royal and at the Interstate 66/Interstate 81 junction at Exit 300 on Interstate 81.
Cameras on Interstate 64 will be as far east as Exit 99 on Afton Mountain and as far west as Exit 1 at Jerrys Run Trail in Alleghany County next to the West Virginia state line.
The cameras will be used for observing traffic and no recordings of traffic will be taken by VDOT.
The camera images are available on the VDOTs Web site at www.VirginiaDOT.org and www.511Virginia.org using TrafficLand, which is third-party vendor that supplies the camera images to TrafficLands Web site where VDOT and other entities can link.
VDOT will monitor traffic through the cameras through its Smart Traffic Center (STC), at the Staunton district headquarters complex. The Smart Traffic Center operates 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week and also houses the local offices of the Virginia State Police. The Staunton STC, the fourth STC in Virginia, coordinates Staunton district operations functions.
The total cost of the camera project in the VDOT Staunton district is estimated at $2.4 million and is funded with federal Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and National Highway System (NHS) funds. These cameras are part of the overall Smart Travel Program, which includes the recently deployed changeable message signs (CMS) and road/weather information sites (RWIS) along Interstate 81.
Motorists are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through work zones. For further information on the location of work zones throughout the state, call the Highway Helpline at 1-800-367-ROAD. Traffic alerts and traveler information can also be obtained by dialing 511. In areas where 511 is unavailable, dial 1-800-578-4111. TTY users can call 711 to obtain these services. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
Digital Traffic Systems (DTS) has been awarded a $1.1 million contract to install the cameras. Camera installation and activation is scheduled to be complete by early 2006.
In late 2003 and early 2004 four pilot camera sites were installed that included 30-foot poles. The pilot sites are located at Exit 298 near Strasburg, Exit 283 near Woodstock, Exit 264 near New Market and at Exit 99 on Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain.
VDOT officials conducted tests between fall 2003 and the summer of 2004 on the new cameras to be sure they functioned correctly and they receive clear communications to and from VDOT offices. This time-frame allowed the cameras to function in various weather conditions.
With the conclusion of the pilot period VDOT is now preparing the new camera sites for the installation of 26 cameras along Interstates 66, 64 and 81 in the VDOT Staunton district. On Interstate 81, the northern most camera location is at Exit 323, the site of the recently widened bridge on Route 669, which crosses over Interstate 81. The southern most location on Interstate 81 is Exit 180 at Fancy Hill in Rockbridge County. The camera located at Shenandoah University at Exit 313 on Interstate 81 has been replaced with a new camera, but its location did not change.
On Interstate 66 a camera will be placed at Exit 6 at Front Royal and at the Interstate 66/Interstate 81 junction at Exit 300 on Interstate 81.
Cameras on Interstate 64 will be as far east as Exit 99 on Afton Mountain and as far west as Exit 1 at Jerrys Run Trail in Alleghany County next to the West Virginia state line.
The cameras will be used for observing traffic and no recordings of traffic will be taken by VDOT.
The camera images are available on the VDOTs Web site at www.VirginiaDOT.org and www.511Virginia.org using TrafficLand, which is third-party vendor that supplies the camera images to TrafficLands Web site where VDOT and other entities can link.
VDOT will monitor traffic through the cameras through its Smart Traffic Center (STC), at the Staunton district headquarters complex. The Smart Traffic Center operates 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week and also houses the local offices of the Virginia State Police. The Staunton STC, the fourth STC in Virginia, coordinates Staunton district operations functions.
The total cost of the camera project in the VDOT Staunton district is estimated at $2.4 million and is funded with federal Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and National Highway System (NHS) funds. These cameras are part of the overall Smart Travel Program, which includes the recently deployed changeable message signs (CMS) and road/weather information sites (RWIS) along Interstate 81.
Motorists are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through work zones. For further information on the location of work zones throughout the state, call the Highway Helpline at 1-800-367-ROAD. Traffic alerts and traveler information can also be obtained by dialing 511. In areas where 511 is unavailable, dial 1-800-578-4111. TTY users can call 711 to obtain these services. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org.
Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.
Page last modified: June 1, 2005
