Speed Camera - Northwest Branch Bridge - Capital Beltway 495 - MD

 

There was an article in today's Washington Post identifying a speed camera installation & operation on the Capital Beltway (route 495). It is currently operating although speeding tickets won't be issued until Aug 21 - only warnings now.

I don't have coordinates for it, but perhaps someone else might have them. If so, post them so we can alert Miss POI.

Fred

I heard about that on the TV yesterday too

I lived in VA and I believed the news said it set up where the construction area in Maryland so if you see contruction area on the Beltway slow down.

Camera's

I drove thru that area last year and I reported it here that they would be installing them along the route. August 21 is around the corner.

Yes, it's in a construction zone

Yes, there is a new construction zone on I495 at the Northwest Branch Bridge. MD has been putting various mobile camera types in the highway construction areas, and I don't think Miss Poi intends to add these types to the database. I tend to agree with that decision.

Good idea to do the construction zone limit, imo. Even if for no other reason than the fines are double.

--
It's about the Line- If a line can be drawn between the powers granted and the rights retained, it would seem to be the same thing, whether the latter be secured by declaring that they shall not be abridged, or that the former shall not be extended.

I have not added this

I have not added this location because it is a mobile location.

Miss POI

Sorry about that but it is

Sorry about that but it is useful to know that it's there. The speed limit is varying in the construction zones & tickets are tickets.

What is the proper way to handle these kinds of cameras?

Thanks.
Fred

How long?

@Fred

If it's only in place for a short time, I don't think it's practical to track. But if it's likely to remain in place for several weeks or months, then I think we can figure something out.

How long do you think this camera will remain in place?

The construction on the

The construction on the Washington Beltway will be going on for months. It has also been going on for months. Only the dead of winter abates it.

It would be really useful, not just for DC, but for other areas if we had a fundamental approach in dealing with these mobile locations.

The Beltway is driven by tens of thouseands of people each week, not all locals either. This must be true in other areas in the country also, particularly around large cities. Also, the trend is not seeing fewer speed cameras. They are proliferating so dealing with categories of speed cameras would make sense to me.

I'd like to hear what others think about this.

Thanks.
Fred

P.S. I'd be glad to email when this location was taken out of operation if it will help.

Add Them

IMHO, if a construction zone is camera-equipped and is there for a substantial period of time, it is something POI Factory members should be warned about. Given that the files are updated weekly, if a construction (or camera) site is in existence for at least a week, it should be included. As noted above and is often the case, highway construction sites usually have a long life. If this is or becomes a headache for Miss POI, I would defer to her.

I agree with Miss POI

I agree with Miss POI they are mobile and therefore challenging to track. Also, all of the speed camera Work zones that I have encountered in Maryland have highly visible signs stating so. You will not get a ticket unless you exceed the posted speed limit by 12 miles or greater. I am not a fan of speed cameras but if you get a ticket in an area that has ample warning concerning construction and a speed buffer of 11.9 miles per hour you have nobody to blame but yourself.

@JM

JM wrote:

@Fred

If it's only in place for a short time, I don't think it's practical to track. But if it's likely to remain in place for several weeks or months, then I think we can figure something out.

How long do you think this camera will remain in place?

Maryland has a limited number of vehicles with cameras which move around construction zones and specified enforcement areas where they are in place for only a few hours and a few days per month only when the zones are active. Nationwide over 500 highway workers lost their lives in 2010 due to speeding/inattentive drivers in construction zones. I'm in favor of ticketing for speeding in construction zones. With MD giving a 12 MPH tolerance, that's over 20% at 50 MPH. Going that fast in a marked zone is arrogance.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Not that Hard!

cool

I think they should be added as they can be tracked by members of the factory who live and drive in that area.

I also think we should add ongoing construction areas that are currently active. Often times we come upon sudden changes in the speed limit that can cause anyone to get a HIGH OVER PRICED construction zone citation.

I drive thru one at least 3 -4 times a week that drops 15 miles in less than a quarter of a mile. Citations are wrote there all day looooooooooong.
Highway 114 near DFW Airport.

If so I will oversee the Dallas - Fort Worth area.

--
"Destination Eternity" Garmin 765T, & Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

To difficult to keep updated.

It is to difficult to keep the "in place" red light cameras updated. How do you plan on keeping "moving" speed cameras updated? even if they are in place momentarily. It would have to be a file that is updated daily.

In the construction zones I have seen there are warnings way in advance. There are more warnings 1/2 mile before and that is when the speed is dropped to the speed allowed in the zone. There are plenty of warnings. If you speed, you deserve a ticket.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

HOW?

cool

How is it so hard when members are driving by them....

Don't you mean too HARD FOR YOU?

Some WORDS should be removed from SOCIETY!

Can you think of any?...

Someone once said....

"A Mind is a terrible thing to waste!"
MLK - UNCF

--
"Destination Eternity" Garmin 765T, & Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

I really can't

glwilbert wrote:

cool

Some WORDS should be removed from SOCIETY!

Can you think of any?...

I wonder what words you might remove, and more importantly, why?

EXCUSES!

jgermann wrote:
glwilbert wrote:

cool

Some WORDS should be removed from SOCIETY!

Can you think of any?...

I wonder what words you might remove, and more importantly, why?

ANY WORD THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE UP EXCUSES WITHOUT FIRST TRYING!

Have you read the story behind WD40?... everyone should as there are plenty more like it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

--
"Destination Eternity" Garmin 765T, & Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

Mobile Cameras

What do the mobile cameras look like, and how do they see the license plates on an eight lane freeway without having their view blocked by other traffic?

For that matter, what assures drivers that the speed measured matches the same car photographed?

Pay attention to the rules of driving

mbegly wrote:

I agree with Miss POI they are mobile and therefore challenging to track. Also, all of the speed camera Work zones that I have encountered in Maryland have highly visible signs stating so. You will not get a ticket unless you exceed the posted speed limit by 12 miles or greater. I am not a fan of speed cameras but if you get a ticket in an area that has ample warning concerning construction and a speed buffer of 11.9 miles per hour you have nobody to blame but yourself.

HEAR! HEAR!

http://tinyurl.com/3jchgbv

--
Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT-S, Prev.GPSs: Drive61 LM, nuvi 3790LMT, 755T & 650, GPSIII+, SP 2610, 250W; Magellan 2200T; Originator of GARMIN NUVI TRICKS, TIPS, WORKAROUNDS, HINTS, SECRETS & IDEAS http://bit.ly/GARMIN-TNT

in the spirit of discussion...

In my opinion...

I understand that it might be difficult to track, but I personally also think that if one is going to track any camera, one should try to capture all of them. Mobile cameras should be included, although annotated as such; and when no longer present, removed from the database. There are certain "mobile" cameras (affixed to police cars) that are present in more or less the same spot every day. In my opinion, these too should be included: the database should reflect observation.

I have my mobiles in a second file

Since my county (Mont. County, MD) uses a lot of mobile cameras, I put my mobile locations in a separate file, with a different alert voice that says "Mobile Speed Camera Location Ahead".

Tracking these and the MD construction areas isn't hard, but since they are (mostly) on the front of vehicles they can't always be exactly located. The method I use is to mark the beginning of the stretch of road where they might be used, but they can actually be anywhere in an 1/8 to 1+ mile (in the case of construction) area along the road. Also, there is no guarantee that they will even be there on any given day and/or time.

If POI Factory wants to host a list it's fine with me, but personally I'd rather it be a different file than the fixed camera file. That way I can use an alternate alert.

By the way, Mont. Co has mobile boxes that get chained to utility poles, etc. for extended periods, and MD state as well as MoCo don't always mount cameras on police vehicles. I've seen vans, Jeep Cherokees, and other vehicles being used. Also seen them attended and unattended.

--
It's about the Line- If a line can be drawn between the powers granted and the rights retained, it would seem to be the same thing, whether the latter be secured by declaring that they shall not be abridged, or that the former shall not be extended.

That's a very logical

That's a very logical approach - separate files & local by State. Of course caveat emptor applies since these cameras are more transient than the fixed location cameras.

I, for one, would appreciate access to your file, thru the POI Factory, or if that's not possible, directly. Perhaps I can contribute some locations too.

Fred

Speed Camera

In my area of Maryland (around Baltimore City) the mobile cameras "used" to be transported around pon a white step van using very high telescoping poles where the cameras were mounted. They were very visable when you approaced them.

I have been told by some law enforcement friends that too many people were slowing down when they saw them from a distance so they came up with a design to mount the cameras totally on the front of a white jeep so you cannot see the camera equipment when approcahing at all. This way, you have no warning that you are coming up on it. There is sometimes a sign posted that you are approaching a speed camera location... but not always.

This does give the impression that it is only a money grab scheme and not so much for safety.

If the idea is to get people to slow down, and if that is what they do when they see the cameras, then why hide them ?

I am all for safety and I don't think anyone should be speeding thru construcion zones when workiers are present, but this is not much different than some of those small towns in the county who take the speed limit down to 25 MPH from 55MPH all at once and have the local LEO hide behind a building next to the low speed limit sign to nab someone immediately where the limit is drastically reduced.

I know some people will complain abotu these cameras no matter what, but I've read too many stories of abuse and improper issueing of tickets.

In Baltimore, there were Hundreds of tickets issued with the signature of a Police Officer who had supposedly been reviewing the pictures from some speed cameras in Baltimore when that particular Officer had actually been dead for nearly a year.

How is it that he was signing speeding tickets ?

Just one example.

The Point (IMO)

The whole point of having a gps camera file (for me) is to remind me to check my speed. As I get older I find myself doing that WAY more than I used to, and also find that speeding has usually made no noticeable or really needed difference in my arrival times.

Having said that, I'm willing to wager that I now watch my speedo and therefore speed, more than some who cry 'shame on you' for getting a ticket or feel that having a gps file is unnecessary.

Same philosophy that I've had for 20+ years about how counter-safety it is to ban radar detectors and/or not use radar beacons on construction alert signs. Why WOULDN'T anyone want to cause people to look at their speed & slow down if needed more often?

Instead of my age, maybe it's subliminally easier to stop speeding than to worry about when to slow down/resume speeding because I got so many alerts? And even though I don't usually speed I still like a reminder to be extra alert in some areas. (Assuming the cameras & radar traps are placed in statistically high problem areas.. and of course they are, right?).

--
It's about the Line- If a line can be drawn between the powers granted and the rights retained, it would seem to be the same thing, whether the latter be secured by declaring that they shall not be abridged, or that the former shall not be extended.

That is very much my

That is very much my thinking JD4x4.

Good to have a reminder. It stops me from inadvertently speeding.

Fred

@ glwilbert

glwilbert wrote:

Some WORDS should be removed from SOCIETY!
...
ANY WORD THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE UP EXCUSES WITHOUT FIRST TRYING!

Thanks for the clarification - although removing words will in no way impact the fact that people may not try to solve problems.

The reason I asked was that I could not pinpoint exactly who used some "word" that you objected to. I suppose you were directing your comment to pwohlarb who had, I think, correctly observed

pwohlarb wrote:

It is ... difficult to keep the "in place" red light cameras updated. How do you plan on keeping "moving" speed cameras updated? even if they are in place momentarily. It would have to be a file that is updated daily.

I thought that JM was on the right track when he offered:

JM wrote:

If it's only in place for a short time, I don't think it's practical to track. But if it's likely to remain in place for several weeks or months, then I think we can figure something out.

Although I thought the OP was referring to a permanent installation at a particular location, the thread soon became focused on mobile speed cameras in construction zones. There was some feeling that such cameras would be there for some period of time because of the length of time it takes to complete highway construction projects.

As you pointed out in one of your posts above, if there are members driving by them, they are indeed capable of being reported. It is however a little tricky to get the coordinates of a camera from your GPS while driving 45 MPH (usually) in a construction zone. Of course, you need these coordinates to report the camera - and I would think that the member should have some reason (by observation or by news report) for believing that the camera would be there for AT LEAST two more weeks. I say this because the camera file is updated weekly and the two week suggested span means that it will be there at least a week more.

However, we now run into the problem of how often members update their camera database.

For mobile camera warnings to be most effective, members would have to download and update their custom POI file for cameras the evening of the day that Miss POI updated it.

I would like to think that poi-factory members were not using the camera database as the trigger for them to stop speeding and at least slow down to the flow of traffic (which is usually speeding, by my observation). However, those who legislating hard for the addition of mobile speed camera may want them for this purpose.

I thought that JD4x4 had a good sugtgestion:

Jd4x4 wrote:

Since my county (Mont. County, MD) uses a lot of mobile cameras, I put my mobile locations in a separate file, with a different alert voice that says "Mobile Speed Camera Location Ahead".

Tracking these and the MD construction areas isn't hard, but since they are (mostly) on the front of vehicles they can't always be exactly located. The method I use is to mark the beginning of the stretch of road where they might be used, but they can actually be anywhere in an 1/8 to 1+ mile (in the case of construction) area along the road. Also, there is no guarantee that they will even be there on any given day and/or time.

If POI Factory wants to host a list it's fine with me, but personally I'd rather it be a different file than the fixed camera file. That way I can use an alternate alert.

To extend this suggestion, maybe the role of poi-factory might be to describe a procedure that would be simple and straight-forward enough to be used by beginners that would allow anyone who wanted to implement a scheme like JD4x4's to do so.

Finally, I think that Box Car should have the final word:

Box Car wrote:

Nationwide over 500 highway workers lost their lives in 2010 due to speeding/inattentive drivers in construction zones. I'm in favor of ticketing for speeding in construction zones. With MD giving a 12 MPH tolerance, that's over 20% at 50 MPH. Going that fast in a marked zone is arrogance.

@glwilbert

I consider this a personal attack. It is not nice and not tolerated in this (or any) forum. Think about it! Construction zones are not permanent. Some may be months and others may only be a week or two. I am sure that Miss Poi is having all she can do to maintain the RLC's. It will be a nightmare with out parameters in place.

I made a general statement. Others took it and elaborated on it by statements such as the possible need of defining some parameters to the file. Also brought up was for it to be a different file and not combined with the other speed cameras or RLC. I am for that. I am also for putting parameters to the file such as construction zones in place for say more than a month, no moving cameras (on cars or the trailer type).

glwilbert wrote:

cool

How is it so hard when members are driving by them....

Don't you mean too HARD FOR YOU?

Some WORDS should be removed from SOCIETY!

Can you think of any?...

Someone once said....

"A Mind is a terrible thing to waste!"
MLK - UNCF

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

Speed camera at Longbranch

I just received a ticket, not a warning, on the Longbranch camera. Picture taken on 8-1-12.

Weren't they supposed to be issuing warnings only until 8-21-12?

You're a year late

Fzup wrote:

I just received a ticket, not a warning, on the Longbranch camera. Picture taken on 8-1-12.

Weren't they supposed to be issuing warnings only until 8-21-12?

That camera went up in 2011 and the grace period ended in 2011.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

construction lasts for more than one year

thought the construction has been finished, looks like not.

Construction Lasts For More Than One Year

abin wrote:

thought the construction has been finished, looks like not.

There is a mobile speed camera located again along I95 northbound just after the ICC. The "Your Speed Is" sign before the speed camera still seems to consistently display 10 mph under your actual speed.
Mark