Comments on: Traffic cameras planned for Ballard

By: Photoenforced.com

Photoenforced.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:52:20 +0000

Traffic cameras are not photo enforced but users are not adding them to our open database in abundance. Search the database at http://photoenforced.com

By: gobigblue

gobigblue — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:46:07 +0000

you are correct…i didn't read/interpret the article correctly. but my comments were specifically about the red light cameras to which geeky swedes responded, and then apologized about for the confusion it created.

you can lambast me for “muddying” the discussion, but the fact is many people don't necessarily understand the difference between traffic cameras and red light cameras, and who exactly controls which ones.

thank you to Geeky Swedes and KMill for providing more details and clarification

By: phinneynotballard

phinneynotballard — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:35:21 +0000

actually their comments don't indicate that at all… you've assumed that and muddied the discussion by not reading the orginial article carefully. No one was talking about red light cameras. Now poor jburgh is confused too.

By: Geeky Swedes

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:30:49 +0000

Apologies for the confusion — we were referring to the traffic cameras, not to the red light cameras. As far as we know, the red light cameras are working fine.

By: KMill

KMill — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:30:22 +0000

SDOT has nothing to do with the red light cameras.

There are two different intersection cameras in the City of Seattle.

One set of cameras is operated by Seattle Department of Transportation. The images are viewable online at http://www.seattle.gov/trafficcams/ so you can see what’s going on at that intersection at any time. These are the cameras relevant to this article.

The other set of cameras (different cameras than SDOT) is operated by the Seattle Police Department, which is not available online. These cameras only capture pictures of cars and license plates that run the red lights. The pics are then sent to the registered owner of that car through the mail. I know, I’ve gotten one!

Hope that clears it up.

By: gobigblue

gobigblue — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:58:36 +0000

Understood…I wasn't thinking about traffic cameras. But Geeky Swedes' comments indicate that SDOT said the specific red light cameras I mentioned are offline.

I actually can't imagine the city would go through the expense of installing red light cameras and signs and then wait months to put them online, considering the revenue stream they would generate.

By: jburgh

jburgh — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:55:19 +0000

Then why do these only flash when the light turns red? SDOT only wants images of people running red lights???

By: KMill

KMill — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:37:36 +0000

The cameras mentioned in this article are SDOT traffic cameras so you can go to the website and see what's going on with the traffic, NOT red light cameras operated by SPD that capture images of cars running the red light. I believe you are confusing the two.

By: gobigblue

gobigblue — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:22:51 +0000

Really? I can see the cameras “flashing” as people run red lights.

Thanks for the correction – now people reading this will know they can still run the red lights at those intersections and not get caught.

By: Geeky Swedes

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:19:33 +0000

SDOT tells us that while cameras may be installed at some of these intersections, they are not yet online.

By: gobigblue

gobigblue — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:17:21 +0000

“Although the city already has more than 50 cameras working right now, there aren’t any in northwest Seattle. “

Incorrect – there are already cameras at the intersections of 15th Ave NW and NW Market Street, and 15th Ave NW and NW 80th Street.