MORE CAMERAS FOR SASK. HIGHWAYS?
With this 2012-2013 winter season dragging on for as long as it possible can and the Province of Saskatchewan seeing some of the worst winter highway driving conditions it has had in many years, a debate has sparked up over the amount of Highway Cameras the province has on the Sask. Highway Hotline website. I even had a Skype interview with GLOBAL REGINA reporter Raquel Fletcher on the topic.
Now to begin with, I have noticed that there are a lot of people that don't even know there are any! To find them, head to the Sask. Highway Hotline website - choose the Map Report of Road Conditions (High Bandwidth) - on the blue box in the upper right hand corner, in the Overlays, checkmark the box beside cameras.
Alright back to the topic. Alberta has roughly 80 cameras, BC has over 300, PEI even has 6. In Saskatchewan, we have 4.
1 between La Ronge & PA
1 North East of Lloydminister
2 along Hwy #11 between Regina and Saskatoon
Now I know that Saskatchewan has a ton of roads so covering them all would be impossible and way too costly to the province (roughly 26,000 km of roads). I should also mention that Sask. Highway Hotline does do a tremendous job in doing the road reports, but sometimes I believe that looking at a yellow line on a screen all winter is just not enough. I along with others I know have been in circumstances as to where if we did see an actual image of the road, it may of changed our mind to travel on it.
I have came up with 5 locations to place the highway cameras that I think would better the province a great deal ...
Highway #16
Between Yorkton and Saskatoon (around the Foam Lake area)
Highway #10
Between Regina and Melville
Highway #1
Between Swift Current and Moose Jaw
Highway #39
Between Weyburn and Estevan
Highway #3
Between Tisdale and Hudson Bay
Let me know what you think - we can start a discussion of Facebook, Twitter or you can always email me your thoughts.
(NOTE: If you are not a "Facebook Friend" you can still view to by clicking "Follow")
Watch the GLOBAL REGINA Report - HERE
- UPDATE -
MINISTER OF HIGHWAYS ANNOUNCES NEW CAMERAS FOR HIGHWAY HOTLINE
November 14, 2013
Additional road cameras will be installed at various locations on some of Saskatchewan’s busiest highways over the coming months.
"Saskatchewan is a leader in providing timely and accurate road information to travellers, Highways and Infrastructure Minister" Don McMorris said. "The Highway Hotline gets about four million web visits and phone calls each year and 97 per cent of users say the system meets their needs; however, we’re always looking for ways to improve the service."
The new camera locations include:
Highway 1 at Moose Jaw;
Highway 2 near the new St. Louis Bridge;
Two locations on Highway 10; (at the Avonhurst Grid and near Balgonie)
Highway 11 near Macdowall; and
Highway 16 near the Borden Bridge.
Installation and activation of the new road cameras will be timed in order to coincide with major construction projects. The cameras generally cost more than $35,000 to install. The new cameras supplement other improvements made to the Hotline in recent years, including the Trucker’s Report, the use of social media and an improved interface for handheld devices.
While cameras make most visual road conditions available to drivers, they are not perfect.
"One of the most hazardous conditions Saskatchewan motorists face in the winter is black ice and this isn’t always evident on the cameras", McMorris said. "Motorists should always consider all of the information available on the Hotline and drive according to road conditions."
