ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Motorists venturing out onto snowy highways can now get a close-up look at the conditions they might encounter thanks to "plow cams" that the Minnesota Department of Transportation has mounted on some of its snowplows.
The video cameras are mounted on some of MnDOT's 838 snowplows. The new system, which was announced Wednesday, is available through the 511mn.org website, the St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://bit.ly/2kc3X6R) reported.
In a statement, 511 program manager Kelly Braunig said the plow cams are another way for travelers to make good decisions during Minnesota's snow and ice season.
"If they go on the 511 site and see that travel is not advised, they can actually see an image of the road the cameras take as the plow is traveling. Seeing is believing," Braunig said.
The department already uses fixed cameras at 97 locations across the state to show road conditions through live rotating photos. But the Road Weather Information System, which is also part of 511, shows just a small portion of the roadway at the camera location.
MnDOT uses that system and the plow cameras for maintenance purposes, but says the public can benefit from the information, too.
The plow cams represent only a portion of the Transportation Department's maintenance fleet. The department has purchased 200 cameras for this winter season. Based on testing, MnDOT will decide whether to install additional cameras.
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Online:
To access the plow cams, go to http://www.511mn.org and click on "Plow Cameras" on the left menu.