511 and DOT Traffic Cameras by State: Where to Watch Live

The quickest way to watch a US traffic camera live is your state's 511 site. Each state department of transportation runs its own, usually with a map where you switch on a Cameras layer and click a road. South Carolina's is 511SC, Mississippi's is MDOTtraffic, Indiana's is INDOT TrafficWise and New Jersey's is 511NJ. If you want cameras from several states, or cameras near a town rather than a highway, a camera directory such as the GodsView live traffic cameras page collects public feeds in one place.

This guide lists the official camera sites for 16 states, explains where the 511 name comes from, and sets out what several DOTs say about recording. For the general how-to, such as reading time stamps and why a camera goes blank, see how to find live traffic cameras near me.

Find live traffic cameras

What is 511?

511 is the national phone number for traveler information in the United States. The idea came from the US Department of Transportation, which petitioned the Federal Communications Commission on March 8, 1999, for a single three-digit number. The Federal Highway Administration says the petition was formally supported by 17 state DOTs, 32 transit operators and 23 metropolitan planning organizations and local agencies (FHWA).

On July 21, 2000, the FCC designated 511 "as the single traffic information telephone number to be made available to states and local jurisdictions across the country." The ruling came with few strings. FHWA notes that it "leaves nearly all implementation issues and schedules to state and local agencies and telecommunications carriers," and that there are "no Federal requirements and no mandated way to pay for 511."

That is why every state's 511 looks different. In 2000 FHWA offered federal funding to help agencies convert their existing traveler information phone numbers to 511 (Federal Register, August 9, 2000). Over time, most states built websites and apps under the same name, and traffic cameras became one of the most used features.

So "traffic camera 511" usually means: the camera layer on your state's 511 website or app.

State DOT traffic camera sites: 16 states

We opened each site below on November 10, 2026 and checked that it loads and offers traffic cameras or a camera layer. Names and addresses change, so if a link moves, search for your state DOT plus "511."

Two practical notes. First, toll roads and big cities often run their own cameras in addition to the state's, so a camera you saw on TV may not be on the 511 map. Second, the 511 phone line usually covers incidents and closures, not camera images; for pictures you need the website or app.

South Carolina DOT cameras: 511SC

SCDOT's cameras are on 511SC. The site has a statewide map with traffic speeds, incidents, construction, message signs, rest areas and a Traffic Cameras layer. You can also open the camera list and filter by route. Map views split the state into the Piedmont, Midlands, Pee Dee and Lowcountry regions.

Three features are specific to South Carolina:

• Reach the Beach. A feature for traffic heading to the coast, which the site says carried over into its current design.
• Evacuation routes. Links to evacuation routes and SCDOT and SCEMD emergency resources, which matter in hurricane season.
• My511SC. An optional free account for email and text alerts and saved favourite cameras. There is also an app for iPhone and Android.

On recording, the site is direct: "SCDOT DOES NOT RECORD VIDEO FROM ANY TRAFFIC CAMERAS. FOOTAGE FROM THE PAST IS NOT AVAILABLE."

On GodsView, the South Carolina cameras page listed 1,612 public cameras when we checked on November 10, 2026: 1,337 traffic and highway cameras, 127 weather and scenic, and others. 789 of them, 49 percent, streamed live video. The largest sources were Windy webcams (750) and SCDOT (699).

Myrtle Beach webcams

People searching for a Myrtle Beach web cam usually want the beach, not the highway. On our Myrtle Beach page, 111 public cameras were within 30 km of the centre on November 10, and only 5 were traffic cameras. Most were city, scenic and coastal cams from resorts and webcam hosts, and 61 streamed live video. The nearest was a resort cam under 1 km away. For the drive in, use 511SC; for the sand and the surf, use the webcams.

Mississippi DOT cameras: MDOTtraffic

Mississippi's site is MDOTtraffic. MDOT says it lets you "view live traffic feeds via cameras along major highways across the state," along with road conditions, construction, weather, welcome centres and rest areas. You can sign up for email or text alerts customised to your commute.

The MDOT Traffic app for iPhone and Android adds location-based alerts, traffic camera streaming, hazard reporting and emergency information, according to MDOT.

Jackson, MS live cams

For Jackson, our Jackson cameras page listed 105 public cameras within 30 km on November 10, 2026, including 44 traffic and highway cameras and 49 weather and scenic cams. Only 3 streamed live video; the rest were still images. The nearest traffic camera was I-55 North at the Stack, about 2 km from the city centre.

Statewide, our Mississippi page had 562 cameras, 194 of them traffic cameras, with MDOT's feed (111) the largest road source.

Indiana DOT cameras: TrafficWise and 511in.org

Indiana's traveler map is INDOT TrafficWise at 511in.org. The site describes itself as covering traffic incidents, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, and active and planned construction. It needs JavaScript and a current browser to load.

Indiana stands out for live video. On our Indiana page, 2,409 public cameras were listed on November 10, 2026, of which 2,300 were traffic and highway cameras and 1,503 (62 percent) streamed live video. Around Indianapolis, 790 cameras were within 30 km, almost all on roads, and 512 had live video. The nearest to downtown was on I-65 at Washington Street.

New Jersey cameras: 511NJ

NJDOT says motorists can get traveler information "by calling 511 anywhere in New Jersey," free, seven days a week. Online, 511NJ offers interactive maps of conditions on state and interstate highways, the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike, and "interactive traffic cameras that provide live feed to traffic conditions on highways statewide." NJDOT also offers Personalized Travel Services alerts by phone or email (NJDOT).

The 511NJ site did not load for our check, so the camera details above come from NJDOT's own description of the service.

On our New Jersey page, 615 public cameras were listed on November 10, 2026, including 409 traffic and highway cameras and 187 live video feeds. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (129) was one of the largest road sources.

Do 511 traffic cameras record or issue tickets?

It depends on the agency, so read what the camera's operator says. Here is what four state DOTs say on their own pages:

The Connecticut answer is a good reminder that one state can run several kinds of roadside camera with different rules. A 511 traffic camera, a signal detection camera and a wrong-way detection camera are not the same thing. If you need footage after a crash, ask the agency that runs the specific camera, and expect that a 511 monitoring camera may have nothing to give you. This is general information, not legal advice.

Still images or live video?

Both, depending on the state and the camera. Some feeds are full-motion video, others are still images replaced every few seconds to several minutes. Arkansas says its camera images are "live and transmitted in real-time," with delays depending on the internet connection at the camera and at the viewer.

Our state counts show how much this varies. In Indiana, 62 percent of the public cameras we list stream video. In Mississippi it was 23 percent statewide, and around Jackson only 3 of 105 cameras were video. Check the time stamp on any still image before you trust it. Our general guide covers refresh times and why cameras go dark.

Is there a traffic camera near me?

If you are on or near a highway, probably. If you are on a side street, probably not: DOTs put cameras on interstates, interchanges, bridges and major routes. Searches for "street cameras near me" or "live street cameras" often turn up city and tourism webcams instead, which can be just as useful for checking the weather or the crowd.

Here is the order we suggest:

1. Your state's 511 site from the table above, for the official highway cameras.
2. A GodsView city page, which lists public cameras within 30 km of a city, nearest first, traffic and scenic together. Try Indianapolis, Jackson or Myrtle Beach. City pages work without an account.
3. A GodsView state page for a wider view, such as South Carolina or New Jersey.
4. The camera desk at world cameras, to search the full catalogue by name.

What a CCTV camera map is, and isn't

A "CCTV camera map" in this sense is a map of cameras that their operators publish for public viewing: DOT traffic cameras, city cameras and webcams. It is not a map of private security cameras, which are not public. GodsView only lists feeds that operators publish openly. It opens the operator's own feed and does not record footage, and it does not run face recognition or licence plate reading on the cameras layer (live traffic cameras).

The free tier opens two cameras; GodsView Plus opens the rest and adds the cameras layer on the 3D globe, alongside flights, weather and other live data. See pricing. On iPhone, the free GodsView app is on the App Store.

Browse cameras on the desk

Using 511 safely

511 phone lines and apps are built for planning, not for staring at while you drive. Check cameras before you leave, or have a passenger do it. In storms, pair the cameras with other live sources: power outages and weather alerts often explain why a camera has gone dark or why a road is closed. During hurricane evacuations in South Carolina, 511SC's evacuation route layer is the official reference, not a third-party map.