Live road cams from state DOTs
Fort Route shows 12,999 live traffic cameras run by state transportation departments. When you plan a route, a "Road cams" card shows how many live cameras are on it, with a thumbnail from each. Tap a camera to open its live image, which refreshes every minute.
You can also turn on the "Road cams" map layer, or pick Road cams from the home categories, to look at cameras off your route. The cameras come from these agencies:
- Caltrans (California)
- Oregon DOT, through TripCheck
- Washington State DOT (WSDOT)
- Iowa DOT
- Illinois DOT and Travel Midwest
- Minnesota DOT (MnDOT)
- North Dakota DOT
- South Dakota DOT
A pass camera shows you the road surface itself, which a forecast can't. Before a winter climb, check the cameras along with our guide to winter driving and chain laws.
Hidden while you drive
Fort Route hides camera images while the truck is moving and shows them again once you're parked. A camera image takes more than a glance to read, so check the cameras on your route at a break or before you pull out.
The images load straight from each DOT's own server. If a DOT camera is offline, Fort Route can't show it either.
Speed and red-light camera alerts
Fort Route also has the locations of 1,882 speed and red-light cameras mapped in OpenStreetMap. While you navigate, you hear a spoken warning 600 meters (about 0.4 miles) before each one within 40 meters of your route, such as "Speed camera ahead. Limit 25." An "ahead" chip appears on the screen as well.
Cameras tagged with a direction only trigger a warning when they watch your direction of travel. To see all of them on the map, turn on the "Speed cameras" layer.
Coverage is uneven. Speed and red-light cameras are well mapped in Maryland, the District of Columbia and some cities, and less complete in other places, so no alert does not mean no camera. Drive the posted speed limit whether or not Fort Route warns you.
Frequently asked questions
Which states have live road cameras in Fort Route?
Fort Route shows live cameras from the DOTs of California, Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Illinois cameras come through Illinois DOT and Travel Midwest. Other states' DOT cameras aren't included.
Can I look at the cameras while I'm driving?
No, camera images are hidden while the truck is moving. They show again once you're parked, so check the road ahead at a break or before you pull out.
Does Fort Route warn me about every speed camera?
No, it only warns about cameras mapped in OpenStreetMap, 1,882 in all. Mapping is good in Maryland, the District of Columbia and some cities, and less complete elsewhere, so no alert does not mean no camera.
How current are the road camera images?
Each image refreshes every minute while you have it open. The images load straight from the DOT's own server, so a camera that's down at the DOT won't show in Fort Route either.