Traffic Reports and cameras

[e2ksj3]

I thought this would be an interesting topic. Do you find traffic reports in your city or others you may have traveled to helpful? Not all are the same, some cities seem more helpful than others. Like Raleigh-Durham area. Reporters actually tell you were most the delays are (at least on the major thoroughfares), even if its everyday congestion, like on I-40 from RTP to Cary and on US 64. Heck, I even think Atlanta's traffic reporters give you estimated trip times! Charlotte's traffic reporters just seem to focus on accidents/incidents, not normal delays, which is ok, if your familiar with the area, but what about out of towners or newcomers like myself. lol, I recently had the expierence of sitting through very slow traffic on Harris Blvd in East Charlotte and never knew it was coming, b/c traffic reporters never mentioned it. On a more positive note for Charlotte traffic reporters, (at least the ones on TV) give you alternate routes around the incidents, which they never did in RDU.

Does your city have a good traffic center, like with cameras/speed maps, etc on most major interstates?

[Neo]

I think in Charlotte the problem is that we're accustomed to the delays so they're what we consider "normal" which aren't normal in some other cities. We tend to take certain things for granted, mile long traffic backups are one of them. I find the traffic reports pretty helpful when cruising around Charlotte. If they have a report of a road closing or accident in the direction I'm heading I can make adjustments to my route so I don't cause much down time. In Chicago they're system is GREAT! You really ought to check into Chicago's system. They tell you how long it takes to get from say 95th/Dan Ryan to downtown, etc. I'm not sure what all cities have this system but the Internet based traffic report is awesome in that it shows you what sections of a road has construction, accident, delays, etc. Heck, it even tells you how fast the traffic is moving!

[Guest donaltopablo]

Atlanta's traffic reports (both through media and DOT provided information like signs and website) are pretty useful, if your traveling on the interstate. The problem I find is much of my drives occur on surface streets which can be backed up for miles and miles and not get reported. Surface streets only get mentioned if they are completely closed due to a wreck or a major backup on the freeway dumbs unusual traffic onto the surface streets.

Otherwise, the information available is pretty useful. GA DOT website even shows you the average speed of traffic traveling on all major segments of the Atlanta freeway system, so you can tell when traffic is slow or stopped, just moving a little slow, or flying, which is excellent information IMHO.

[Allan]

I don't find them all that helpful. I know which roads are backed up and which roads traffic runs quickly on. Also the same roads have accidents in the same places all the time, so I know to avoid those areas. We have those electronic signs telling of traffic delays & construction, but they all just say somthing like "Time to 8 Mile Road: 7 Minutes" or "Construction Ahead on I-75 North" except usually you're already stopped in traffic by the time you pass that sign. And the thing is that the time are for if you're going 65 mph...in reality most ppl go 85 or 90.

[Neo]

We have those electronic signs telling of traffic delays & construction, but they all just say somthing like "Time to 8 Mile Road: 7 Minutes" or "Construction Ahead on I-75 North" except usually you're already stopped in traffic by the time you pass that sign.

We have those signs in Charlotte, but as long as I've lived here I've NEVER seen them give any info. They're ALWAYS blank...what a waste of money...

[Allan]

We have those signs in Charlotte, but as long as I've lived here I've NEVER seen them give any info. They're ALWAYS blank...what a waste of money...

At least ours say something...even though they are usually totally inaccurate.

[Scott]

I listen to WBZ traffic on the 3s 1030 AM. Usually accurate. I bet you could get it in CLT on a stormy night as I listened to it from Pittsburg, PA.

[Cotuit]

On Cox Cable in Rhode Island we actually have a Traffic Cam Channel that shows nothing but various traffic cams 24 hours a day. I suppose if I drove I might find it helpful, but like most of you have said about your cities', the same places in Providence pretty much have the same problems every day. Once in a while there is an accident or something that causes an extreme backup, but overall you can always count on a back up at the Thurbers Ave. Curve, near the Route 146 Merge, at 6/10 as it approaches the city, near Exit one on Route 195...

In Boston the backups are at places like 'The Hood Plant' or 'The Movie Theatres' or 'The Gas Tanks.' The colloquialisms in traffic reports are quite quaint.

I-95 through Connecticut has those electronic message boards and I've actually found them to be quite useful on drives back and forth to NYC. They don't often tell you about the jam before reaching it, but they at least let you know how long it is and let you decide if it's worth getting on Route One to get around it.

[e2ksj3]

I also noticed that, I-77 is the only interstate in Charlotte with DOT traffic cams. Does the DOT plan to add some along I-85, 485 in South Charlotte, and on US 74 once its converted to an expressway?, seeing how all those roads seem pretty congested too.