Last October, we told you about SDOT’s plan to put live traffic cameras along Ballard’s 15th Avenue corridor. Today, we’ve learned all of them have finally gone “live.” Here’s a look at all six:
15th Ave and NW 65th Street (looking south)
NW 65th Street and 15th Ave (looking north)
15th and Market (looking south)
15th and Market (looking west)
You can also find them on the Seattle Traveler Information Map. Thanks to Dennis for the tip!
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/My-Ballard-ad-1.png")
They could really use these on the Ballard Bridge and further south until Denny Way too. Some people drive highway speeds on this street!
What could be the justification for this? These are not “speeding” cameras that will dispense traffic tickets for speeders. This is not going to make the roads any safer and it’s not going to help anyone trying to get around traffic (there are no alternatives, Einstein). These are TRAFFIC cameras – to let you know how much traffic there is.
Is there anyone here who is so fresh off the turnip truck that doesn’t already know all the “information” these cameras provide? Hello, brilliant city planners! You have shoved 100,000 additional residents into this corner of Seattle while doing nothing to accommodate the additional traffic, and guess what? During commute hours, 15th is always badly jammed. The rest of the day, it’s still pretty busy.
What else do you need to know? How does seeing webcam images of the traffic help anyone?
This looks like a complete waste of scarce taxpayer funds to me. Instead of putting up these stupid cameras, how about keeping the Ballard/Loyal Heights Community Centers open?
Oh, can’t have that, now. Must make the peons suffer…
oh, whoops, I thought they were speeding cameras……
Wow, 15th and Market should be called ‘Hobo Cam 1’.
Yay, now I can wave “hi” to my mom from across the country!
I have to disagree with part of what “Name” said: there are certainly alternatives for some of us. I alternately take 15th, 99, and I-5 to work (downtown). Using the Traveler Info Map, I can now see which of those routes is the least congested (at least, when I leave the house).
I certainly agree that the money could have been better spent on road improvements, keeping the community centers open, or building a non-surface-street commuting alternative. Ah, well.
The authorities will also be using to track criminals. (Yes, I watch too many cop shows! LOL!) Seriously, it is a waste of money.
I want to what were we doing before we had all this technology? Oh, that’s right; we were LIVING! We were surviving just fine actually… (I am as guilty; here I am tapping away, way past my bed time on Blackberry!)
More city spending to keep over paid employees on the dole. So, the city is potentially closing Ballard pool and a community center to save money, how about cutting these ridiculous programs. Add the stop light cams to the delete bin and fire all of the city employees at the director level and above as we all know the admin people actually run this town.