Peek-a-boo
We found ourselves at the corner of Southeast 122nd and Stark in Portland the other day -- not our neck of the woods -- and we had to wait quite a while for a "walk" sign to cross the street. As we waited, we looked up and noticed:
On every corner there was a surveillance camera, and the four of them covered traffic in all four directions. These didn't seem to be red light cams -- just Big Brother. Is this a regular thing now in the Rose City? Or does that intersection warrant special attention for some reason?
| Posted at 7:44 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (10)
While I don't know that this is the case at this intersection, I know that in the Southwest, cameras were used instead of the static sensor loops in the pavement to detect cars at intersections.
They weren't used for enforcement, and I don't recall ever hearing of video from the cams being used after the fact (although some of the cams streamed to the web for traffic reports).
Posted by Nick Christensen | July 14, 2011 8:28 AM
Given the liberty from the truth TriMet frequently takes we could easily stretch things to assume it may be part of monitoring the crime and blight in the Eastside MAX corridor.
The station is not far away at 122nd and Burnside.
Posted by Ben | July 14, 2011 8:38 AM
Jack,
Check the front page of OregonLive.com...
The Feds have cleared your good name.
Tell Jose Baez not to cash the check.
Posted by Miser Tee | July 14, 2011 8:43 AM
Nothing new ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jntU0MOJM
Posted by zonedar | July 14, 2011 8:53 AM
Don't buy the BS of the cameras being part of a traffic light control system as they are not.
ODOT funded the project of linking all of Salem's intersection cameras into a fiber-optic, HD video surveillance system.
Yes, they can read your license plates.
Posted by Abe | July 14, 2011 10:00 AM
Do we know exactly what entity or entities placed the cameras, own them, and monitors them?
Posted by boycat | July 14, 2011 10:40 AM
This is the new auto-pimp system to keep track of their workforce from the comfort of the closest video poker establishment.
Posted by Ralph Woods | July 14, 2011 10:54 AM
I'll make a point to flip off every camera I see. Personally, I couldn't care less. I do my bad things indoors. I follow all the rules when outside my home. Film me all you want. All you'll see is me and my middle finger.
Posted by HW | July 14, 2011 11:08 AM
High quality video feeds? Laying the foundation for congestion charging like London does...
...until ODOT mandates GPS tracking.
Posted by Andrew | July 14, 2011 11:47 AM
They have a red light camera down at 102nd and Stark. It is possible that they use it to control the lights, etc. during heavy traffic because congestion can get pretty crazy at that intersection. There are almost no through north/south side streets (paved at least)that people can take to get around traffic jams due to the MAX line to the north and the way they plotted out the streets to the south.
Posted by Usual Kevin | July 14, 2011 3:25 PM