Viewing Traffic Conditions Now Available in Eastern Connecticut

While some residents have been able to observe traffic conditions on roads in their neighborhood, this capability is now available to those living from Branford to Groton along Interstate 95 and from Montville to Norwich on Interstate 395.

While DOT officials have been monitoring the newest 23 cameras on I-95 and I-395 in East Lyme, Groton, Montville, New London, Norwich, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Stonington, and Waterford, they stated that problems prevented those images from being on their site.

According to the DOT Web Site, "the video images from these cameras are operational and utilized by DOT staff for monitoring traffic on the State highway system. The Department staff then utilize the electronic message signs and highway advisory radio AM radio transmitters installed on the highways to inform motorists of traffic incidents and major traffic delays."

It goes on to state that "the Department is currently working on an effort to install the necessary equipment to enable snapshot images from these cameras on the Internet. We are working closely with the vendor to get this system installed and operational as soon as possible."

Currently, the Connecticut DOT Web Site only has camera images of I-95 exit 2 to 56, I-84 exit 9 to 68, I-91 exit 21 to 40, and Route 2 exit 3 to 6.

A notice on the Web site states that images of segments of Route 8 between exit 25 to 30 will soon be available while other images are currently available.

In the meantime though, motorists can see images on Trafficland.com, a Web site allowing one to see images of cameras on I-95 near exit 2 all the way to exit 86 as well as I-395 from exit 79 to 81.

Many of the cameras have been placed in areas near the orange overhead lights allowing a clear view of traffic even during the middle of the night.

Some of the cameras do experience problems because of rain or snow drops on the camera lens.

While the local television stations give images of cameras, many have not seen images of the newer ones not yet on the Connecticut DOT website.

To provide a view of all traffic, cameras alternate from being on the east and west sides of the highway but the images state the direction of traffic closest to the camera.

All images update every two seconds and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Images have a white text field at the bottom designating the highway exit vicinity and name of the town while a caption below the image provides an exact location of the camera.

One image includes an additional camera along the I-95 exit 56 to 57 stretch in Branford near the guide rail east of Leets Island Rd pointing south.

Those images include eight cameras along the I-95 exit 57 and 59 stretch in Guilford located at just east of Leets Island Rd. near the guide rail (exit 56-57 pointing south), Granite Road (exit 57-56 pointing south), Moose Hill Road (exit 57-56 pointing south), Mile Marker 59 (exit 57-56 pointing south), Route 1 (exit 57 pointing south), Church Street - Route 77 (exit 58 pointing north), Mile Marker 60.8 (exit 59-58 pointing south), Goose Lane (exit 58-59 pointing north), and East River Road (exit 59-61 pointing north).

I-95 Madison images include six cameras between exit 60 and 62 located at Wildwood Ave. (exit 59-61 pointing north), Mungertown Rd. (exit 60 pointing south), Copes Rd. (exit 61-60 pointing south), Durham Rd. (exit 61 pointing north), Anchorage Rd. (exit 61-62 pointing north), and the Madison Service Area (exit 62-61 pointing south).

The Madison Service Area Southbound provides Mobil, McDonald's with drive-thru, a small food court, a gift shop, restrooms, vending machines, and pay phones while the Northbound Service Area has Mobil, McDonald's with drive thru, restrooms, pay phones, and vending machines.

I-95 Clinton images include six cameras between exit 62 and 63 located at mile marker 67 (exit 62-63 pointing north), Cow Hill Rd. (exit 62-63 pointing north), High St. (exit 63 pointing north), Liberty St. (exit 64-63 pointing south), mile marker 70 (exit 63-64 pointing north), and Horse Hill Road - Route 145 (exit 64 pointing north)

There are no I-95 Westbrook images, exit 65 to 66, with no explanation way no cameras are available for this area.

There is a Northbound Rest Area/Welcome Center open daily during the summer and Thursday through Sunday the rest of the year offering a staffed information desk, informational brochures, restrooms, pay phones, vending machines, a canine walk area, and a picnic pavilion.

I-95 Old Saybrook images include three cameras between exit 66 and 69, located just south of exit 67 (exit 66 pointing north), at the exit 67 off-ramp - Route 154 (exit 67 pointing north), and south of the Route 9 on-ramp near Baldwin Bridge (exit 69 pointing south).

I-95 Old Lyme images include two cameras between exit 69 and 71, at the exit 70 on-ramp at the Route 156 connector (exit 69 pointing south), exit 70 off-ramp for Route 1 (exit 70 pointing south), and at the exit 71 on-ramp for Four Mile River Road (exit 71 pointing north).

I-95 East Lyme images include two cameras between exit 72 and 76, at the exit 74 on-ramp at the Route 161 connector (exit 74 pointing north), and the exit 75 on-ramp for Route 1 (exit 75 pointing south).

I-95 Waterford images include four cameras between exits 76 and 83, at the I-395 northbound on-ramp (exit 76 pointing north), north of Oil Mill Road (exit 80 pointing south), at Vauxhall Street (exit 83-82 pointing south), and at the Briggs Street overpass (exit 83 pointing south).

Only one I-95 New London camera image is shown for the stretch of highway between exit 83 and 85.

That camera shows the area near exit 83 south of the Gold Star Bridge (exit 83 pointing north).

Only one I-95 Groton image is shown for the stretch of highway between exits 85-89.

That camera shows the area near exit 86 north of the Gold Star Bridge near Route 184 (exit 86 pointing north).

Four new cameras show images of Interstate 395 between exits 79 and 80.

I-395 Montville images include three camera images between exit 79 and 79A which are located at the Montville Rest Area (exit 79 and 79A pointing south) and at Fitch Hill Road (Exit 79A pointing north).

The Montville Rest Area on I-395 South has a Mobil gasoline and diesel station with a convenience store with restrooms and pay phones.

I-395 Norwich images include three camera images between exit 80 and 82 which are located just south of the exit 80 off-ramp (exit 80 pointing south), north of the exit 80 on-ramp (exit 81 pointing north), and south of Route 2 (exit 82-81 pointing south).

Motorists can tune to 1670 AM for the AM Highway Advisory Radio covering I-395 and I-95.