By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
You may have noticed a small new tower alongside the bridge at the Flandreau exit off Interstate 29. That tower is home to a new Department of Transportation camera that’s now helping keep an eye on road conditions along I-29.
The camera is part of a broader effort by the South Dakota Department of Transportation to give drivers a better, real-time picture of what’s happening on the road — especially when weather turns quickly or visibility drops.
It proved useful just a couple of weeks ago during an eight-vehicle pileup north of the Flandreau exit, helping alert drivers to trouble ahead. The hope is that the added visibility will offer earlier warnings before any motorist reaches a dangerous situation.
According to the DOT, the cameras are not used for enforcement and do not record or store video. Rather, they provide live snapshots that refresh regularly and are available to all through the state’s 511 traveler information system.
The camera works alongside the new variable speed limit signs installed between Flandreau and Brookings — all are tools to help ensure we get where we’re going safely along a stretch of highway that can change quickly.
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