Raleigh hopes new flood-zone cameras will save lives

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The City of Raleigh is hoping a better view of its flood-prone streets will help steer drivers away from dangerous conditions this hurricane season.

The week before the start of the 2019 hurricane season, transportation crews began installing 16 flood monitoring cameras in the city's most flood-prone areas.

The first camera, installed Wednesday at the intersection of Wake Forest Road and Hodges Street, looks like a surveillance camera, posted high on an existing utility pole.

Wayne Miles, the City of Raleigh's Stormwater Program Manager said the cameras will help expedite warnings and road closures when water levels rise.

As the city was preparing for Hurricane Florence in 2018, Miles' department tried using the city's traffic cameras to check the status of flooded roads.

"This is the first camera installation that is specifically designed to supplement our flood-monitoring system," Miles said of the camera installed at Wake Forest Road and Hodges Street near Crabtree Creek. "Once those flood levels get to the point where they may be impacting the street, we can now use the camera to validate that and notify first responders."

The City spent $46,000 out of its stormwater utility for the 16 cameras that will be installed at the following locations:

• Creedmoor Road and Crabtree Valley Avenue

• Blue Ridge Road, Glenwood Avenue and Lead Mine Road Intersection

• Wake Forest Road and Hodges Street

• Avent Ferry Road and Trailwood Drive

• Atlantic Avenue and Hodges Street

• Anderson Drive, Oxford Road and Claremont Road

• Lassiter Mill Road and Millstream Place

• Garner Road at the greenway trail

• Wilmington Street and City Farm (between intersection and Walnut Creek)

• Capital Boulevard and Hodges Street

• Gorman Street (between Avent Ferry Road and Walnut Creek)

• S. Saunders Street at I-440

• Lumley Road and Briar Creek Pkwy

• Walnut Creek at Buck Jones Road

• Walnut Creek at South State Street

• Pigeon House Creek at Cameron Village

One added measure to prevent people from making the potentially deadly mistake of driving across a flooded road: flashing LED signs.

The high water signs will clearly warn drivers: Do Not Enter When Flashing.

Miles said the signs will have their own, real-time monitoring system triggered by rising water levels.

The City will install the signs in the following location by late summer/early fall:

• Creedmoor Road near Crabtree Valley Mall

• Crabtree Creek at Lassiter Mill Road

• Crabtree Creek at Anderson Drive

• Crabtree Creek at Wake Forest Road

• Crabtree Creek at Atlantic-Hodges

• Walnut Creek at Avent Ferry Road

• Walnut Creek Tributary at Lake Wheeler Road near NC State Farmer's Market

• Walnut Creek at Garner Road

• Walnut Creek at Rose Lane