SR-99 at Whitmore Ave Live Traffic Cam, Ceres

Here is a real-time look at SR-99 at Whitmore Avenue, on the Ceres stretch of the highway. It faces northbound traffic.

The Modesto area is one of the largest metro areas in the Central Valley, and SR-99 is its backbone. Almond orchards, dairies and food processors surround the cities, and the freeway carries everything from school traffic to tanker trucks full of milk.

SR-99 is one of California's hardest-working highways. It carries commuters between valley cities, families heading for the Sierra, and a steady procession of big rigs hauling produce, dairy, nuts and wine out of one of the most productive farming regions on Earth.

Traffic on SR-99 never really stops. Big rigs run day and night, and morning and evening commutes slow things around the larger cities. In winter, dense tule fog can settle over the valley floor and cut visibility sharply, while in summer the heat can be intense. A quick look before you leave can tell you whether the lanes are moving freely or backed up.

Video is supplied by Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) as part of its statewide traffic camera network.