Newest traffic cameras give local view of roads.

Byline: Eric Florip The Register-Guard

If you often drive on Belt Line Road or Interstate 5 south of Eugene, smile - you'll soon be on camera.

That's because the Oregon Department of Transportation is installing three new traffic cameras and electronic message boards in the Eugene area, intended to provide drivers with adequate warning of any incidents or slowing on those roads. Despite the existing 200 or so cameras elsewhere in the state, the closest one to Eugene - the state's third-largest city - is stationed more than 20 miles away, near Cottage Grove.

"I've had that comment before, in terms of there not being very many in that area," said Galen McGill, a manager of ODOT's Intelligent Traffic Systems, which maintains traffic cameras in the state.

But by next fall, three new cameras - one on eastbound Belt Line Road near River Road, one on I-5 southbound near 30th Avenue south of Eugene and a third on I-5 northbound just before the Highway 58 exit, near Goshen - will be operational. All three will be constructed with electronic message boards to provide traffic updates for drivers, McGill said.

ODOT crews began installing the cameras around Oregon in the mid-1990s, McGill said. The service now extends to most of the state's metropolitan areas, but the majority of the cameras operate in the Portland area

- and have for some time. Some of the devices were initially installed for ODOT crews during construction projects, but the cameras stayed put and their frequently updated pictures were posted online for public use, McGill said.

"I use them quite a bit," said Elliott Eki, an AAA spokesman who lives in Portland. "I refer to them in different locations just to tell people what traffic conditions are like when they call. You get kind of an idea at least what to expect, or time to try to find an alternate route."

McGill said Eugene has never received the service until now because it simply wasn't prioritized above other locations. Currently, only one camera operates on I-5 between Roseburg and Salem. And both of those cities have at least four nearby.

For Eugene drivers, the service will be a welcome addition to some of the areas busiest roadways, said Matt Potter, owner of Springfield's Avis car rental agency. He said his agency frequently sends rental cars and picks clients up between the Gateway area in Springfield and the Eugene Airport via Belt Line Road, and a new way to check traffic conditions is a welcome addition.

"Not only would it help getting people cars on time, but it would be great to check and see how the roads look ahead of time," Potter said.

While the cameras are intended to be useful for commuters, they can also often provide unexpected comic relief for ODOT employees.

Along with a few messages painted on roads in view of cameras, traffic crews have observed a few other unusual sights through the lenses, McGill said.

"We've had a few spiders that have built their webs right in front of the cameras," he said. "We've got a few pictures of those back in the office."

CHECK YOUR TRIP

All of ODOT's nearly 200 traffic cameras are posted at www.tripcheck.com, updated throughout the day.