Edmee Rodriguez/Sun Photo
Brian Shields, left, city traffic engineer, and Michael Hay, traffic engineering technician, keep track of the flow of traffic using 20 different monitors at the Overland Park Communications Center.
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Watchful eye helps drivers
By: Loren Stanton, Staff Writer
Big brother is watching, but in a nice way.
Drive through almost any busy intersection in Overland Park or Lenexa, and a camera probably is watching your car’s every move.
Should thoughts of such technology stir visions of “1984,” city officials want to assure the public that they are not interested in invading your privacy. They are not even interested in catching speeders. They are, however, quite interested in being better able to monitor and improve traffic flow.
Of course, the cameras might also help track and catch a thief or some other lawbreaker.
The scope and usefulness of the cameras is increasing. Overland Park has gone from monitoring 15 intersections five years ago to 65 today. Lenexa mounted a handful of cameras about two years ago, and now the city has 17. More will be installed in both cities as need and funding become available.
Overland Park Traffic Engineer Brian Shields said the cameras allow the city to better understand and adjust to ever-changing traffic conditions and demands.
“We can see how backed up traffic gets, and we can make some real-time adjustments,” Shields said.
Traffic staffers can sit in rooms at the city Fire Training Center or at City Hall observing monitors that provide live video from the intersections. The observation room at the training center is the larger of the two. It features 20 monitors covering two walls. Two large monitors have split-screen capacity, offering four scenes at once.
If there is a congestion problem at a particular location, a quick adjustment in the timing of traffic light sequences can help relieve the clog.
Steve Schooley, Shields’ counterpart in Lenexa, said immediate adjustments are not yet possible in his city. He observes a much smaller number of monitors in his office, and he can determine whether a timing change should be programmed later.
Both traffic engineers said the systems allow them to better respond to public concerns about traffic control, or the perceived lack of it.
For instance, if a motorist calls to complain that the left turn signal and 75th Street and Metcalf Avenue is not giving motorists as much time to get through the intersection as it used to, the camera and background information can be used to check out the situation.
In the old days, a traffic engineer would investigate such complaints by driving to the intersection and standing on the corner to count cars and clock the duration of traffic signal light changes.
Police departments also are finding uses for the cameras, but not to spot driving infractions. That takes a different kind of camera.
Shields and Schooley said the monitors, for one thing, allow police to observe a car accident scene immediately after a report is received. This can help them determine the severity of the collision and how many officers or firefighters might be needed. The 911 dispatching center adjacent to the traffic control room at the training center has monitors that can display the traffic camera information.
The monitors also can be helpful when less serious traffic impediments exist. If a car breaks down at an intersection, for instance, a traffic engineer can summon a volunteer motorist assist unit to the scene, Shields said.
The cameras also can help track a criminal who is trying to elude officers.
Almost everything that Overland Park traffic engineers see on the monitors also can be viewed by anyone visiting the city’s Web site.
Before leaving home, a motorist can check the volume of traffic at major intersections. Lenexa does not yet offer online access to the traffic camera images.
Shields said the entire system has cost about $10 million to install so far, with some of that paid through grants. It costs about $10,000 to add a camera, and Overland Park plans about 10 more cameras over the next 12 months, and about 20 more some time after that.
Schooley said Lenexa has plans for a half dozen more units in the months ahead.
Neither city has heard any serious concerns voiced about the cameras being intrusive or an invasion of privacy.
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Drive through almost any busy intersection in Overland Park or Lenexa, and a camera probably is watching your car’s every move.
Should thoughts of such technology stir visions of “1984,” city officials want to assure the public that they are not interested in invading your privacy. They are not even interested in catching speeders. They are, however, quite interested in being better able to monitor and improve traffic flow.
Of course, the cameras might also help track and catch a thief or some other lawbreaker.
The scope and usefulness of the cameras is increasing. Overland Park has gone from monitoring 15 intersections five years ago to 65 today. Lenexa mounted a handful of cameras about two years ago, and now the city has 17. More will be installed in both cities as need and funding become available.
Overland Park Traffic Engineer Brian Shields said the cameras allow the city to better understand and adjust to ever-changing traffic conditions and demands.
“We can see how backed up traffic gets, and we can make some real-time adjustments,” Shields said.
Traffic staffers can sit in rooms at the city Fire Training Center or at City Hall observing monitors that provide live video from the intersections. The observation room at the training center is the larger of the two. It features 20 monitors covering two walls. Two large monitors have split-screen capacity, offering four scenes at once.
If there is a congestion problem at a particular location, a quick adjustment in the timing of traffic light sequences can help relieve the clog.
Steve Schooley, Shields’ counterpart in Lenexa, said immediate adjustments are not yet possible in his city. He observes a much smaller number of monitors in his office, and he can determine whether a timing change should be programmed later.
Both traffic engineers said the systems allow them to better respond to public concerns about traffic control, or the perceived lack of it.
For instance, if a motorist calls to complain that the left turn signal and 75th Street and Metcalf Avenue is not giving motorists as much time to get through the intersection as it used to, the camera and background information can be used to check out the situation.
In the old days, a traffic engineer would investigate such complaints by driving to the intersection and standing on the corner to count cars and clock the duration of traffic signal light changes.
Police departments also are finding uses for the cameras, but not to spot driving infractions. That takes a different kind of camera.
Shields and Schooley said the monitors, for one thing, allow police to observe a car accident scene immediately after a report is received. This can help them determine the severity of the collision and how many officers or firefighters might be needed. The 911 dispatching center adjacent to the traffic control room at the training center has monitors that can display the traffic camera information.
The monitors also can be helpful when less serious traffic impediments exist. If a car breaks down at an intersection, for instance, a traffic engineer can summon a volunteer motorist assist unit to the scene, Shields said.
The cameras also can help track a criminal who is trying to elude officers.
Almost everything that Overland Park traffic engineers see on the monitors also can be viewed by anyone visiting the city’s Web site.
Before leaving home, a motorist can check the volume of traffic at major intersections. Lenexa does not yet offer online access to the traffic camera images.
Shields said the entire system has cost about $10 million to install so far, with some of that paid through grants. It costs about $10,000 to add a camera, and Overland Park plans about 10 more cameras over the next 12 months, and about 20 more some time after that.
Schooley said Lenexa has plans for a half dozen more units in the months ahead.
Neither city has heard any serious concerns voiced about the cameras being intrusive or an invasion of privacy.
Comments on "Watchful eye helps drivers"
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.Mike Myers wrote on Jul 20, 2008 12:59 PM:
" Turning left at an intersection, facing drivers turning left opposite you going the other way on only a green
light, no arrow, causes many accidents by restricting your vision of traffic going the opposite direction on a green light, sometimes at a higher rate of speed. If you poke yourself out there, you're committed. There are many dangerous intersections that don't use green arrows providing protection for drivers turning left. Every intersection should provide protection by using left turn arrows. "
light, no arrow, causes many accidents by restricting your vision of traffic going the opposite direction on a green light, sometimes at a higher rate of speed. If you poke yourself out there, you're committed. There are many dangerous intersections that don't use green arrows providing protection for drivers turning left. Every intersection should provide protection by using left turn arrows. "