The snow that has been falling since Sunday comes at just the right time for the start of the 2014-15 ski season and provides the perfect backdrop for an editorial urging travelers to use the new webcams the Colorado Department of Transportation has installed offering real-time views of road conditions on Rabbit Ears Pass.
At issue
CDOT has installed new cameras on Rabbit Ears Pass that offer real-time views of road conditions.
Our view
Travelers should take advantage of the new technology and use the cameras to help them make informed driving decisions, which can help cut down on traffic accidents and delays.
The cameras, which can be viewed online at SteamboatToday.com/webcams, provide three views of U.S. Highway 40 on Rabbit Ears, showing shots of the highway in both directions as well as a closer view of the road surface. There also is a CDOT camera at the intersection of U.S. 40 and Mount Werner Road intersection in Steamboat Springs and another camera operating on Colorado Highway 131 in southern Routt County.
The cameras on Rabbit Ears and on Colo. 131 went live a few weeks ago and are part of a larger $2.8 million project initiated by CDOT to install 80 new or replacement “live view” cameras across the state highway system. When the project is completed, CDOT will have a total of 422 cameras in place statewide.
Taking advantage of new technology, many of the recently added cameras have been installed on treacherous mountain passes where placement previously was difficult or impossible. The new cameras use cellular service to transmit images and are powered by solar panels. They no longer have to be hard wired into fiber optic lines along the highway and instead are equipped with proprietary antenna technology that allows them to function even in areas of poor cell service.
We think the money CDOT spent on new cameras was a wise and timely investment, and if the public uses the technology to check traffic before hitting the road, the cameras can help travelers make more informed driving decisions, which in turn can cut down on accidents and traffic snarls and ultimately improve travel time.
Traffic is a major issue for Front Range skiers traveling from Denver to the mountains and for people who fly to Denver on their way to vacation in Steamboat and other ski resorts. As Ryan Rice, CDOT’s director of transportation systems management and operations, said, the new cameras help improve the accuracy and timeliness of traveler information and also help CDOT crews identify and manage traffic accidents more effectively. The cameras also can be used to help plow drivers and maintenance crews better monitor road conditions.
We realize cameras don’t solve the traffic problem on Interstate 70, but we think they are a low-cost tool that can be used by travelers to help improve the situation.
This weekend as holiday visitors are contemplating their drive to and from Steamboat, we encourage them to take a look at the webcams before jumping in the car. If the road conditions look treacherous, delay your travel plans until roads improve. If weather is an issue this weekend, take a look at the cameras, assess your options and, if need be, delay your return trip for a few hours or even a day. This will give you time to enjoy another meal or two at one of Steamboat’s many restaurants, to partake in some holiday shopping and then hit the road. Or better yet, maybe another night in Steamboat is what you need to ensure a safe trip out of the mountains.
For views of local road conditions, 11 webcams can be viewed on the newspaper website at SteamboatToday.com/webcams, and for a look at roads throughout the state, go to www.cotrip.org/device.htm. CDOT also offers email and text alerts to keep travelers aware of traffic and road conditions. To subscribe to that free service, visit www.coloradodot.info.