travel news near reading

• ALL MOTORWAYS
• Southampton
• West Midlands
• East Anglia
• Central Scotland
• ALL REGIONS
• LISTEN LIVE

Traffic Reading

•   Reading
• Nearby: Alcester Stratford On Avon Charlecote Redditch Evesham Warwick

There are no current incidents or roadworks within a 20 mile radius.

Current traffic around Reading

Reading roadworks, let's get social.

Get in touch with us or stay up to date with our latest news and updates.

Live Email Traffic Alerts

Get live email alerts whenever there is a traffic incident or roadworks on the on the roads you travel that may cause congestion or jams.

LEGAL NOTICE

Please remember that it is against the law to use your mobile phone, tablet or any electronic device without a hands-free kit whilst driving. If you're caught by the police using any device that can send or receive data whilst driving or riding a motorcyle you'll get an automatic fixed penalty notice, 6 points on your licence and a fine of £200. A court could also disqualify you from driving.

Elsewhere on the web:

Official source of traffic updates.

Transport for London's (TfL) portal for transportation in London.

The Welsh government's traffic information service for Wales.

Live traffic conditions and news for Scotland's road network.

Advertise to millions of motorists, holidaymakers and commuters.

Except where otherwise noted, content and photographs on this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License . Owned, operated and copyright CliqTo Ltd 2024 and Chris Haycock . Registered company number 7575287.

Radio Jingle by Oleg Fedak from Pixabay D&B Business Listing

Reading, PA Traffic and Road Conditions

Reading traffic map.

How to use the Reading Traffic Map Traffic flow lines : Red/White dashed lines = Closed Road, Grey/White dashed lines = Road Work, Red lines = Heavy traffic flow, Yellow/Orange lines = Medium flow and Green = normal traffic. Black lines or No traffic flow lines could indicate a closed road, but in most cases it means that either there is not enough vehicle flow to register or traffic isn't monitored. Also, If you do not see traffic flow, you can zoom in closer to reveal localized data. If you are unable to pan the map, press here (to focus off of the map) and try again. Traffic Incidents (beta) : Each image represents traffic event or incident such as road construction, closure (red circle with a white dash) or accident.

Traffic Alert

• Click or touch the map to move in different directions.
• If you do not see any markers on the map, try zooming in one or two levels using "+" on the top left side. However, they are not always available.
• Click an incident icon on the map to get more information.

Reading Traffic Alerts

More local information, bookmark and share, traffic nearby, reading weather and traffic updates by locals.

Write your own Reading, Pennsylvania report, forecast, or traffic update:

E-mail: will not be posted, shared or used for marketing!

Reading, PA Report, Forecast or Traffic Update:

Traffic Map

Membership test drive, member access.

  Sign In

Password Retrieval

US Route 222 Live Traffic, Construction and Accident Report

Current US 222 Reading Pennsylvania Traffic Conditions

Report an Accident

• Post more details

Weather on US 222 Reading

67° f (clear).

• 5 Days Weather Forecast

US 222 Traffic by City

• US 222 Breinigsville Traffic
• US 222 Leola Traffic
• US 222 Ephrata Traffic
• US 222 Reading Traffic
• US 222 Allentown Traffic
• US 222 Reinholds Traffic
• US 222 Lititz Traffic
• US 222 Lancaster Traffic
• US 222 Denver Traffic
• US 222 Stevens Traffic
• US 222 Kutztown Traffic

Other Pennsylvania Roads

• I-80 Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-81 Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-79 Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-476 Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-22 W Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-22 E Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-70 Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-78 Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-376 Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-15 N Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-222 S Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-222 N Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-95 Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-15 S Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-99 Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-30 W Pennsylvania Traffic
• I-84 Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-30 E Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-322 E Pennsylvania Traffic
• US-422 E Pennsylvania Traffic

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

Get us in your inbox

Sign up to our newsletter for the latest and greatest from your city and beyond

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Awesome, you're subscribed!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Los Angeles

The 13 best things to do in Reading

From centuries-old ruins to iconic street art, there's plenty to see in Berkshire's biggest town

The best things to do in Reading traverse the centuries, from old abbeys and castles to iconic artwork and innovative cuisines – not forgetting the taverns too, obvs. This university town doesn't get the attention that its bigger neighbours are afforded, but it’s a lesser-discovered gem with plenty to discover. 

Berkshire’s biggest town is famous for its mish-mash of stately homes, shire horses, street art and spa days, with a little Home Counties character thrown in for good measure. Whether you're here for a day, a weekend or a few days, there’s plenty going on that make it worth visiting – here are the best things to do in Reading.

RECOMMENDED: 🏊‍♀️The best outdoor pools and lidos in the UK 🏘️The best things to do in Oxford 🌾The best places to visit in the UK 🌤️The best things to do in the UK

At Time Out, all of our   travel guides   are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our   editorial guidelines .

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Top things to do in Reading

1.  follow the thames path.

What is it?  The villages that lie along Berkshire’s waterways are almost all adorable; any of them could be the inspiration for Midsomer Murders. 

Why go?  Local train routes stop at both Pangbourne and Goring-on-Thames, and you can follow the Thames Path between the two. A five-mile walk is enough to make you extra hungry for the inevitable pub lunch at the end. 

Don’t miss:  The Miller of Mansfield in Goring serves delicious gastro-grub when you need to refuel. 

2.  Prop up the bar at The Nag’s Head

What is it?  This provincial pub wins CAMRA’s ‘Central Southern England Pub of the Year’ basically every year. 

Why go?  The drink selection is epic, the walls are decorated with beer mats, and the smoking area is the car park. In the grand scheme of pubs, the Nag's Head ’s an absolute classic. You’re in rural(ish) England now, pal. If you don’t drink at least three pints, you’ll be chucked out. Might as well make them fantastic pints.

3.  Get a taste of high society at Highclere Castle

What is it?  If you so much as have a TV license Highclere Castle will probably look familiar; it’s the set of Downton Abbey. 

Why go?  It’s a mecca for fans of all nationalities, but the pristine castle and grounds are a magnificent draw in their own right. Just be warned that it is a 40-minute drive out of town. If you are allergic to period drama, you might yet be persuaded by the fact that Highclere was Peter Andre and Katie Price’s wedding venue. Or you might not.

4.  See the Bayeux Tapestry at Reading Museum

What is it?  Like all the most interesting collections, Reading Museum started life as a home for an old guy’s weird stuff. 

Why go?  As well as a vast needlework, you’ll see a stone-age hand axe, a woolly rhinoceros fossil, a Reading festival poster from 1980 and a mouth organ shaped like a crab.

Don’t miss: T he Bayeux, obvs. Well, technically, it’s only a Victorian replica of the Bayeux Tapestry… but still, embroidering a 70m comic strip about a Medieval battle takes a lot of effort, even if you’re copying.

5.  Upgrade your lunch at Blue Collar

What is it?  A street food market held each Wednesday and Friday at lunchtime in charming Forbury Gardens, which are on the grounds of the Abbey. Blue Collar , the company behind it, was set up specifically to support Reading’s street food traders and improve the local scene.

Why go?  You will eat well at whichever stall you choose, truly!

6.  Dig up some history at MERL

What is it?  The Museum of English Rural Life will answer every tractor-related question. 

Why go?  Plough into the galleries to learn how farming has progressed over the centuries, do a quick sweep along the Wagon Walk and relax in the lovely gardens.

Don’t go:  A collection of over 20,000 illustrations from Ladybird books is shown off in a permanent gallery. A fun game is to rename them using only emoji.

7.  Visit the mural outside Central Club

What is it?  In 1990 a 36-metre mural was painted on the wall of Central Club to mark the anniversary of South Africa’s Soweto uprising. The community centre itself has been derelict since 2006, but the artwork is as colourful and thought-provoking as ever.

Why go?  Every time the Central Club’s future is in question, there’s been a protest in favour of preserving the mural. It’s definitely not just any old street art.

8.  Get to grips with history at Reading Abbey

What is it?  King Henry I ordered the building of Reading’s once-spectacular Abbey, which also served as a sort of motel for Elizabeth I, a section of Jane Austen’s boarding school and a jail that held Oscar Wilde before crumbling into ruins. 

Why go? The Abbey ruins reopened in June 2018 following a part Lottery, part council-funded refurb. The new events schedule includes drawing workshops, open-air theatre and tour guides in slightly am-dram Medieval costumes.

9.  Reach new heights at Parthian Climbing Reading

What is it? A climbing centre that’s so well furnished you could think you’re challenging Everest if you get really into it.

Why go? Take on one of the 180 bouldering ‘problems’, try rope climbing in an introductory session, abseil down competition walls or just watch from the safety of the cafe.  Word on the wall is that Team GB climbers are regulars here. Even superfans will find that hard to verify, though; it’s really hard to identify people when your aspect is mainly harnessed butt cheeks.

10.  Be dragged down the Kennet and Avon canal

What is it? Reading is the eastern point of the Kennet and Avon canal, which runs all the way to Bristol. Travel it like the Victorians would have: on a horse-drawn barge. Round trips depart from Kintbury, a short train away from Reading.

Why go? The canal brings many people-watching (and duck-watching) opportunities, and the Shire horses are very happy to be social media stars as long as you pay them in carrots.

11.  Check out the nature at View Island

What is it? View Island  near Caversham Lock was upgraded from a derelict boatyard to a nature reserve around 20 years ago. A path loops around the edge, and seating in secluded spots makes peace and quiet wonderfully easy to find.

Why go?  Tree stumps carved into the shape of faces are dotted around the island, peering out from the undergrowth. And the views are lovely, of course; the clue’s in the name.

12.  Splash out at King’s Meadow

What is it?  The beautiful Edwardian women’s swimming baths of King’s Meadow had been derelict for nearly 50 years until a £3.5 million makeover saw them reopen in 2017. 

Why go?  The walls are cleverly designed to act like a one-way mirror – nobody can see in, but swimmers get little glimpses of the towpath traffic between tumble turns.

Don’t miss:  It’s now a spa and a pool, and there’s an on-site restaurant (but don’t eat before you swim, kids).

13.  Places your bets at Newbury Racecourse

What is it?  A 29-minute train journey will take you directly to Newbury Racecourse , the playground of very small men in colourful satin outfits since 1905. 

Why go?  It’s no Ascot, admittedly, but it’s very well-regarded in the racing world and much less uptight.

Don’t miss:  The thrill of the races comes cheap in Newbury; book advance tickets online, and you’ll save even more pennies. Ladies’ Day often features a musical performer, too.

More great things to do in Reading

Powered by GetYourGuide

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising
• Time Out Market

Here’s everything you need to know about Reading Festival 2024

W ith Reading Festival about to rock up with an expected crowd of 105,000 and with many of Newbury’s young people joining other music-lovers to celebrate their exam results at the three-day event from next Friday to Saturday, we hope you find this cribsheet on everything you need to know about Reading Festival 2024 – issued by Reading Borough Council, Festival Republic and GWR – useful.

It includes information on traffic, parking, temporary traffic management changes, getting to the site, advice on personal safety and what is being done to make this year's festival the most sustainable yet.

Reading will transform into a festival town next week – as Liam Gallagher, Lana del Rey, Raye, Blink 182 and Fontaines DC take to the Main Stage – the line-up can be found at https://www.readingfestival.com/lineup/#stages – so it’s best to plan ahead with shops, public transport and roads a lot busier than usual.

Plan for traffic delays

If you are aiming to travel into or around Reading town centre from Wednesday, August 21, to Friday, August 23, plan your journey in advance, leave early and be prepared for longer travel times as festival-goers arrive. Thursday is expected to be particularly busy as most arrive that day.

Near to normal travel levels are expected on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival, although shops and supermarkets will be busier than usual.

Roads will be extremely busy again on the Bank Holiday Monday as festival-goers leave the event.

Parking restrictions, including no stopping for pick-ups, will be in place around the Richfield Avenue site as usual. The area should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Consider alternative routes.

Hills Meadow Car Park will be the dedicated area for drop off/pick up. From here festival-goers can either walk to the site, or use the free shuttle boats provided.

If dropping off/picking up, please use sat nav postcode for Hills Meadow Car Park RG4 8DH.

Festival car parking is available at Mapledurham and King’s Meadow for parking pass holders.

For festival visitors parking at Mapledurham, a pedestrian bridge has again been constructed direct to the site to ensure easy and safe access.

For those parking at King’s Meadow, an official festival boat service is provided free of charge to help transport everyone, including tents and belongings, into the festival site. People are advised to be on their guard against any illegal/unregulated boats that may be operating, which includes offering a taxi service. There is only the one authorised boat service and monitoring of the river is in place for the duration of the event.

Temporary traffic management

As usual, temporary traffic management will be in place at various locations around town. Please look out for signage.

For security and safety, the usual night-time closure of the Thames Path (from 7pm to 6am) will again be in operation from Thursday, August 22, to Monday, August 26. The closure will apply between Scours Lane to the far end of Thameside Promenade.

There is again a full closure of Richfield Avenue – between its junctions with Cardiff Road and Tessa Road – from 10.30pm to 1am on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of festival weekend. This closure is to assist a safe exit from the festival site of the 20,000 day ticket holders, with a contingency to extend eastbound to the junction with Caversham Road (except for access) should reasons of safety necessitate.

During Bank Holiday Monday, the Napier Road/Vastern Road roundabout will be particularly busy, with temporary traffic management utilised if required.

The northbound closure of Cow Lane, between Portman Road and Cardiff Road, is also likely to be reinstated between 8am and 3pm on the Bank Holiday Monday to help with the coach transfers and exit of service vehicles from the festival site, depending on traffic levels in this area. It is advisable to avoid driving through these areas, in addition to the areas immediately around the site and the main event car parks, on the Bank Holiday Monday.

There will be enforced parking and loading restrictions in place around the festival site, particularly along Richfield Avenue.

Guests should follow the boroughwide signing to the designated drop-off/pick-up area (Hills Meadow Car Park, George Street, RG4 8DH) or to their pre-booked car park.

Getting to the festival site

The council has again worked with the festival organisers to produce travel information, made available to festival-goers and the general public, via the festival website: https://www.readingfestival.com/information-category/travel

For private cars, the only pick-up and drop-off is Hills Meadow Car Park. Festival goers then have the option of walking along the towpath to the festival site via Christchurch Bridge, the council’s pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Thames, or taking the free boat up to one of the ticket entrance gates.

To help maintain traffic flow, the council’s parking enforcement officers will be working alongside police to crack down on people who park illegally and cause an obstruction.

The quickest walking route from Reading Station to the site is via the northern side of the station, as opposed to the town centre side. The station subway is set to re-open imminently following the recent refurbishment and will be fully operational. Festival visitors also have the option of travelling to the site via hackney carriages, or a special festival shuttle bus that will operate from the northern exit of the station.

Throughout the duration of the festival a temporary taxi rank will be operating in Tessa Road – opposite Rivermead Leisure Centre and next to the festival site – as a further option when travelling to and from the site.

Visitors are being reminded that they should pre-book private hire vehicles, noting it is illegal to hail them from the roadside. All licensed vehicles will display a Reading Borough Council plate on the back and all drivers should have an identity badge in full view.

Festival-goers are reminded not to use private land as pick-up/drop-off points without express permission from the landowner or they may be liable to receive parking fines and/or be subject to other legal action.

Personal Safety

The safety of festival-goers is paramount and anyone attending is advised to check the Personal Safety section of the festival website. https://www.readingfestival.com/information-category/personal-safety/

This includes information on:

What to do in an emergency

Wellbeing and safeguarding

Medical and health assistance

Policies on drugs and alcohol

Help map and information on the festival site

Sustainability and climate change

The council, together with Festival Republic, is again urging festival-goers to build on recent improvements and Look Out For The Planet by leaving no tent behind and taking all camping gear home.

The total waste generated at the site in 2023 was six tonnes lower than in the previous year. There was also a 10 per cent decrease in tents left behind at the site compared to 2022.

This is a positive trend that is expected to be built on this year as event organisers and festival goers embrace their responsibilities to the climate emergency

Following its continued success, Festival Republic will be continuing both Eco Camps. Due to popular demand the Green Eco Camp has now sold out, however there are still spaces in the White Eco Camp for festival-goers who are determined to ‘leave no trace behind’ and want to stay with like-minded eco-friendly campers. As those places are filling up quickly, interested festival goers should sign up quickly via Rockstar Energy presents Reading Festival | Where To Stay | Information

Festival Republic is collaborating with Decathlon to ensure even fewer tents are left behind. Decathlon will be providing affordable tents for under £30, available for click-and-collect at your local store. These tents can be returned onsite after the weekend, with tent repair services also available. Select tents come with buy-back options too. For more details, visit: https://www.decathlon.co.uk/c/htc/no-tent-left-behind_b3be522a-a5f2-497e-a93f-f1a3682cdae1

Reading Festival is continuing its recycling rewards scheme – where an exclusive side of stage experience is up for grabs, along with merchandise and festival tickets, just for taking recycling back to recycling points in the campsite. For more information see Rockstar Energy presents Reading Festival | Look Out for The Planet. All recycling will be sent to the local waste facility to be sorted.

The popular cup, can and bottle deposit return scheme will also be running where each item sold at the bars will have a 10p deposit included in the price, that can be redeemed at the designated return points either side of the main stages. More info at Rockstar Energy presents Reading Festival | Look Out for The Planet

Festival Republic will continue with the ban of campfires and disposable barbecues. Anyone seen creating or fuelling a fire will be evicted. Campsites are kept safer in this way and this supports the council’s local Air Quality Action Plan, contributing significantly to improved air quality at the site and for local residents in the vicinity. It is also in consideration of local impacts as set out in Festival Republic’s Green Nation Charter which seeks to minimise local impacts. (Rockstar Energy presents Reading Festival | Look Out for The Planet)

The festival will also be continuing its ban on the use of disposable vapes. For a list of what festival goers can and can’t bring into the site, go to The Essentials.

Driving towards Festival Republic & Live Nation’s global company wide target of reducing 50 per cent of its emissions by 2030, the festival is powered by a combination of 100 per cent biofuel in the generators to achieve greater reduced emissions and some battery storage units to enable festival power to be fossil fuel free.

Festival Republic, along with the council, encourage the use of low-carbon transport such as coach, train, and car sharing.

The council will again be placing a glass bottle bank for shoppers and festival-goers to use over the festival weekend directly outside the front entrance to the ALDI store at Vastern Court, on Vastern Road.

Many revellers leave the festival site to buy drinks in glass bottles before decanting them into alternative containers, as glass is not permitted on the festival site.

The council hopes to capture as much glass recycling as possible at the bottle bank to contribute to Reading’s glass recycling tonnages and reduce glass litter and breakage along the route back to the festival site, whilst also reducing pressure on the public litter bins in the area.

Returning via Reading Station

Festival goers are being warned by GWR of the need to queue to board trains and to have tickets checked, and advise travellers to buy now to beat the queues on Monday morning.

In a change to previous years, customers will be queued through the underpass, before entering the station on the south side, providing improved access to platforms.

Plenty of trains will operate to take revellers to and from the event and extra late-night/early-morning trains are being laid on in the early hours of Monday. However, services are expected to be extremely busy for the return journey and a queuing system will be in place.

Travellers are also being reminded to only bring what you can carry to allow space for other passengers.

Usual timetable services from Reading towards London operate throughout the night/early morning, for example on Friday eve the following trains run (music stops circa 2315):

The following extra trains will run in the very early hours of Monday:

• Colorado Springs News
• Pueblo News
• Absolutely Colorado
• 13 Investigates
• On the Lookout
• School Buzz
• Body of Lies
• Funeral Home Investigation
• Identity Crisis: Olympic City USA
• Club Q: One Year Later
• Illicit Spas: Hiding In Plain Sight
• Black Forest Fire: 10 Years Later
• Waldo’s Inferno: 10 Years Later
• Closures & Delays
• Weather Maps and Forecasts
• Live HD Doppler
• Neighborhood Weather Network
• Viaero Wireless Network Cameras
• Weather Video
• Weather Photo Galleries
• Friday Night Blitz
• Live Newscasts
• Livestream Special Coverage
• Noticias KRDO13
• Telemundo Programacion
• KRDO NewsRadio Traffic
• Listen Live
• Radio Program Guide
• Radio Contests
• Pet of the Week
• Road Warrior
• Patriot Perks
• Traffic Tracker
• Healthy Colorado
• Breast Cancer Awareness
• Cooking Tips
• Next Chapter
• The Military Family
• Your House & Home
• Southern Colorado Jobs
• Wear Red Friday’s
• 2024 Voter Guide
• Broadcast Contests
• Entertainment
• Advertise with Us
• Contact KRDO
• Meet the Team
• Closed Captioning
• Download our Apps
• EEO Public Filing
• FCC Public File
• Newsletters/Alerts
• TV Listings

Multiple people taken to the hospital following traffic crash near Pueblo West

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. (KRDO) -- Southbound I-25 towards Pueblo is closed this morning (Fri. Aug. 23), after a car rear-ended a Military Humvee.

The call came in around 4:06 a.m., according to Colorado State Patrol.

They say the driver of a Ford Expedition rear-ended a Military Humvee, causing multiple people to be taken to the hospital.

That number of people is unknown as more details come out during this investigation, and KRDO13 is still waiting to hear more about the extent of their injuries.

No fatalities have been reported so far, and there's no estimation as to when the road will re-open.

Drivers are being directed to Exit 108 at Purcell Boulevard to detour. Expect continued delays and use alternate routes.

Fort Carson has confirmed the military vehicle and personnel are from their post. 

Jump to comments ↓

Jaleesia Fobbs

Jaleesia is a Digital Content and Weekend Broadcast Producer for GMC.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here .

Reading traffic updates today as M4 closed and delays expected on routes in Lower Earley and other areas

Previous closures have caused traffic chaos in the town - updates as we get them

• Updated 21:14, 9 OCT 2022

Heavy traffic is reported on some Reading roads today (Sunday, October 9). A closure on the M4 eastbound is adding to delays in the area.

The motorway is currently expected to reopen on Monday morning with a diversion route currently in place. Traffic is also reported to be heavier than usual on a number of roads around the town.

BerkshireLive will bring you live traffic updates throughout the day. Follow our dedicated feed below for all the latest on roads around Reading and elsewhere in Berkshire.

Read More: M4 closures this weekend at Reading expected to cause delays for drivers

Do you want the latest traffic news from across Berkshire as it comes in? Our traffic and travel Facebook group has the latest information for anyone on the road across the county every day. You can join here for the latest updates on the M4, A34, A329, A404 and other key routes across the entire county and nearby areas. You can also sign up for our free traffic and travel newsletter here for the latest Berkshire news straight to your Inbox.

Queueing traffic in Bracknell

Queueing traffic on A322 Downshire Way And A329 around A3095 Mill Lane (Twin Bridges Roundabout). Travel time is four minutes.

Delays around Caversham Bridge

Heavy traffic on A4074 St Peters Hill / Church Road Southbound before Caversham Bridge. Travel time is four minutes.

Traffic easing on A33

Traffic is easing on the A33.

Latest on the M4 closure

M4 London bound closed, long delays due to weekend roadworks until Monday morning from J11 A33 Basingstoke Road ( Reading ) to J10 A329(M) Wokingham / Bracknell. Congestion to J12 ( Theale ), A33, A329, B3270 and routes through Reading .

Broken down vehicle on M4

Inrix, the traffic data company, said:

One lane closed and queueing traffic due to broken down vehicle on M4 Eastbound from J12 A4 Bath Road ( Theale ) to J11 A33 Basingstoke Road ( Reading ). Traffic is further worsened by the closure in place between J11 and J10."

Traffic easing in Caversham

Traffic is reported to be easing in Caversham. Delays had been reported around Caversham Bridge earlier.

Delays on the A4

Delays on A4 London Road and Kings Road outbound from Queens Road through Cemetery Junction to Sutton Seeds roundabout. Travel time is nine minutes.

Traffic queueing in Caversham

Queueing traffic on A4155 Caversham Road around Richfield Avenue (Caversham Bridge). Travel time is four minutes."

A339 roadworks causing delays

Roadworks between Newbury and Basingstoke are causing delays. Work is set to continue throughout the week.

Delays continue on M4

Delays continue on the M4 on the approach to the closure.

Temporary lights causing delays in Newbury

Further afield, temporary lights are causing delays near Newbury. Inrix, the traffic data company, said: "Queueing traffic on A339 Newbury Road in both directions near The Star Inn Pub. In the roadworks area. Temporary traffic lights are in use."

M4 London bound closed, heavy traffic due to weekend roadworks until Monday morning from J11 A33 Basingstoke Road ( Reading ) to J10 A329(M) Wokingham / Bracknell. Congestion to J12 ( Theale ) and routes through Reading ."

Heavy traffic around Caversham Bridge

There is heavy traffic around Caversham Bridge in Reading.

Heavy traffic in Bracknell

Elsewhere in the county this morning we're getting reports of congestion in Bracknell. There's heavy traffic on A322 Downshire Way And A329 around A3095 Mill Lane (Twin Bridges Roundabout).

Slow traffic on A4

Slow traffic on A4 London Road inbound around Wokingham Road (Cemetery Junction).

Congestion on M4

M4 London bound closed, heavy traffic due to weekend roadworks until Monday morning from J11 A33 Basingstoke Road ( Reading ) to J10 A329(M) Wokingham / Bracknell. Congestion to J12.

Heavy traffic on the A327

Inrix, the traffic data company, said: "Heavy traffic on A327 Shinfield Road inbound before B3350 Elm Road (the Sportsman traffic lights). Travel time is four minutes."

Updates as they come in

Good morning and welcome to our live traffic feed for the day. We'll be bringing you all the latest traffic updates from across Reading and elsewhere in Berkshire as they come in.

• Traffic and Travel
• Most Recent

Pop-up political protester: How one woman quit her job to hassle Trump nationwide

CHICAGO - There's a good chance you'd recognize Nadine Seiler.

Seiler, 59, has developed a knack for being at the right place at the right time to get photographed by the media as she protests former President Donald Trump and conservative policies like the Agenda 2025 plan to remake the federal government.

Multiple news photographers have captured Seiler's protests across the country since at least 2019, from Chicago to Milwaukee to Miami to outside the Virginia home of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

This isn't how she'd planned to spend her retirement savings after arriving in the United States from the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago nearly 40 years ago. But with her bright makeup and eye-catching signs, protest has become her calling. In Chicago, she's sleeping in a friend's van so she can keep costs down.

"I am crazy," Seiler said with a laugh. "Nobody who is totally sane would do this."

Sign-up for Your Vote: Text with the USA TODAY elections team.

On Sunday she waved a banner as protesters marched down Michigan Avenue, and then popped back up Tuesday in a "Stop Project 2025" headband at a pro-Palestinian march. She's also been interviewed by national media outlets for her work preserving Black Lives Matter displays.

In addition to opposing Trump, she's also recently protested the Gaza war and abortion restrictions. She takes pains to explain she's not some young radical or a dark-money-funded operative, just an older woman who wants to share her perspective.

Seiler arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa as a young woman and overstayed. She cleared up her residency via a marriage that later ended. For years, she worked in people's houses, mostly cleaning and organizing. It gave her a lot of scheduling flexibility, and now she's largely put work on hold so she can travel the country protesting.

Seiler said she's frustrated and disappointed that Trump supporters are so willing to back and encourage his autocratic tendencies. She said she hopes her protests reach through the media attention to sway those voters, one by one.

"America goes around the world telling people to be democracies but you can't be doing that and at the same time be an authoritarian country yourself," she said as pro-Palestinian protesters marched and chanted nearby.

Yanna Krupnikov, a professor of communication and media at the University of Michigan, said Seiler falls into a group of people who feel personally obligated to share their perspective. Unlike most of us who are content to talk to friends and family, or maybe volunteer with a political campaign, a certain subset of the population is internally driven to protest.

"You have this feeling of you have to tell others, you have to warn others," Krupnikov said. "For people who are deeply involved, political expression feels really immediate, feels like something important they can do. "Politics is so abstract and disconnected, so huge, that sometimes it feels like the only thing we can do is express ourselves and hope others hear it."

Seiler said that's exactly how she feels. Along the way, she's made friends with fellow protesters, including Guy Young, 70, whom she met protesting the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. When Young heard Seiler was planning to protest the DNC, he immediately offered her his van as a bedroom, parked on the street outside his house.

During the DNC, Seiler protested during the day and then returned with Young to his neighborhood. In the morning, he brought her a pancake-wrapped sausage-on-a-stick.

"She's getting better room service than the Hilton," Young said with a laugh.

Seiler said traveling on a shoestring helps stretch her savings, which she's using to fund her protests. She said she heard that a FOX News commentator had wondered aloud how she could afford to keep popping up, and suggested maybe that Seiler was being paid with liberal dark money.

Seiler laughs at the idea.

"I'm so concerned that we are on the precipice of an autocratic society that I have decided to sacrifice my finances to bring this message out here," she said. "People keep saying I'm being paid with dark money. Well, I need to get them to pay me more!"

Advertisement

Supported by

Late-Summer Travel Plans? You Might Want to Put On a Mask.

With U.S. Covid-19 cases at very high levels and new vaccines still several weeks away, we asked experts for their advice on when and where to wear a mask.

• Share full article

By Ceylan Yeğinsu and Dani Blum

It is the height of the summer travel season: Airplanes and cruises are packed, hotels are booked, and travelers are crowding theme parks and attractions. Yet throughout the United States, Covid-19 is currently circulating at very high levels.

During the peak of the pandemic, masks were ubiquitous in hotels, airports and other public places. They were required to fly , and many travelers donned them elsewhere to help reduce the transmission of the deadly coronavirus. Since the end of the mandate, and as travel has returned to or surpassed prepandemic levels , most travelers have abandoned preventive measures, particularly masks.

With updated vaccines not available until the fall , experts are reminding travelers about the benefits of masking, particularly in airports and poorly ventilated indoor environments.

Here’s what you need to know about masks and your travel plans.

What’s going on with Covid right now?

The number of reported cases appears to be climbing both in the United States and abroad. In the United States, there are “very high” levels of the virus in wastewater samples nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization reported that cases around the globe rose by 30 percent from June 24 to July 21, compared with the previous 28 days. Put simply: There’s a lot of Covid out there.

How effective are masks? What is the best mask to use?

People who want to minimize their risk of respiratory illnesses like Covid (along with colds and the flu) should wear a mask while traveling, experts say. Even if you’re the only person wearing one on a train or at an airport, a mask continues to offer protection — provided you wear it properly, which means covering both your nose and your mouth.

“It does not eliminate the risk, but it substantially reduces the risk of exposure,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the chief of research and development at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Healthcare System, in Missouri. Aim for a high-quality mask, like an N95, a KN95 or a KF94 , all of which filter out the overwhelming majority of virus particles and are far more effective at reducing the chance of a Covid infection than cloth or surgical versions. Masks should fit snugly on your face.

“If you have symptoms and you have any question about it, I would wear a mask, just to protect other people,” said Dr. Marc Sala, a co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Covid-19 Center in Chicago. Common symptoms of Covid include coughing, fever, sneezing, congestion, headaches, sore muscles, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues . Those who are asymptomatic but have been exposed to Covid may also consider masking.

If you have tested positive during a trip but cannot delay traveling, you should wear a mask whenever you are around other people, Dr. Sala said.

Where should travelers wear a mask?

The C.D.C. urges travelers to “consider wearing masks in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas, including on public transportation and in transportation hubs.”

Dr. Al-Aly recommended carrying around a few masks in your bag or pockets, so that you have them on hand when you enter a crowded indoor space. “Maintain situational awareness,” he said. If you’re in a crowded indoor space, like a train station or busy museum, you may want to put on a mask. Although airplanes filter and circulate air , there is still a risk that comes with being in close quarters with large groups of people, Dr. Al-Aly said.

What is the travel industry’s stance on masking?

The mask mandate on airplanes became a heated issue at the height of the pandemic, with travel representatives arguing that it was harming the recovery of a hard-hit industry.

The U.S. Travel Association , a trade group that promotes travel to and within the country, believes mask wearing should be up to individual travelers. It welcomed the lifting of the mask mandate on U.S. transportation in 2022, calling it “a step further toward the endemic management of Covid.” That stance has not changed.

The International Air Transportation Association , another industry group, argues that aircraft are designed to reduce the transmission of viruses on board. “Cabin air is refreshed every two to three minutes — much more frequently than most other indoor environments,” the agency said in a statement. “It is also filtered and flows from ceiling to floor, all of which helps to maintain a healthy onboard environment.”

Passengers always have a choice to wear masks, the statement continued, and many airlines provide them upon request.

Major cruise lines do not require guests to wear masks, but passengers are required to undergo a health screening before boarding a ship, and some companies, including Carnival Cruise Line, encourage passengers to be up-to-date with Covid vaccines.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeğinsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

Dani Blum is a health reporter for The Times. More about Dani Blum

The Sydney Metro City line is finally open. Here's what you need to know

By Sarah Gerathy

Topic: Public Transport

The driverless Sydney Metro trains travel at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. ( ABC News )

It's the transport project that's expected to reshape the future of how Sydneysiders move about their city.

And riding the new Sydney Metro City line from Sydenham to Chatswood definitely feels a bit like something from a science fiction movie.

Rocketing under Sydney Harbour at 100 kilometres per hour, you can peer through the front window of the driverless train to see lights streaking past as you travel through twin tunnels up to 40 metres below the surface of the water.

The shiny new futuristic stations along the way are far from the grimy underground stops that commuters are used to shuffling through in the bowels of Town Hall or Wynyard.

And it's being sold as a project that offers people a seamless commute on routes that used to be a hassle, potentially enticing more people from behind the wheels of their cars and opening up new destinations for social outings.

Here's everything you need to know about the new line that opened today.

What is it exactly?

The new metro is a 15.5km underground line connecting Sydenham in Sydney's inner west to Chatswood in its north, snaking its way beneath the CBD and diving under Sydney Harbour along the way.

Its turn-up-and-go driverless trains will connect with the existing Metro Northwest line, which has been running automated single-deck trains from Tallawong to Chatswood since 2019.

The trains will run every four minutes during the morning and evening peak, and initially every seven minutes during the day.

It means that for the first time commuters on the Metro Northwest line won't have to change to conventional double-decker trains at Chatswood to get into the city and can travel in one journey all the way to Sydenham.

And commuters from Sydenham and Waterloo won't have to switch trains before accessing the northern side of the harbour and areas like the business district at Macquarie Park.

Sydney Metro City and Southwest project director Hugh Lawson said it's a game-changer. 

"Even before the opening people [were] talking about journeys that they couldn't take before," he said.

"When people get on the metro and they experience just how quick it is it really will change the way people think about where they are and how they move around."

Eventually the line will travel all the way out to Bankstown, but that section won't be open for at least a year.

When the new section of the track opens today after seven years of construction, the entire line will be rebranded as the M1.

The project has definitely not been without controversy though, and its $21.6 billion price tag is almost $10 billion over the original $12 billion forecast when the project was announced.

Where will it stop?

The new line will pass through six new stops along the way, as well as new platforms at some existing stations.

The underground stations are designed to be as close to the surface as possible to help commuters get in and out easily.

This is where the new section of the metro line connects to the existing driverless Metro Northwest.

It means passengers commuting from that part of Sydney won't have to switch to heavy rail to get into the city but can simply remain on the metro.

This new station is on the western edge of Crows Nest shops, which is about an eight-minute walk away from the nearest existing train station at St Leonards.

Victoria Cross

This is a new station just a short walk from the existing train station at North Sydney. 

While the heavy rail journey from North Sydney to its first CBD stop at Wynyard takes about six minutes, the new metro will take just three minutes to travel from Victoria Cross to Barangaroo.

This is a new stop for commuters wanting to access the northern part of the CBD. 

It also makes for easier access to the arts and culture precinct at Walsh Bay and ferry services at Barangaroo.

Planners are hoping it eases congestion at Wynyard and Martin Place train stations.

Martin Place

This new stop is slightly north of the existing train station at Martin Place.

It will have an underground pedestrian connection for those wanting to switch to regular trains on the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line.

This new station is expected to relieve some of the pressure at Town Hall.

It will have entries via a northern pedestrian plaza opening to Pitt and Park streets, and a southern plaza opening to Bathurst Street.

New platforms and concourses have been carved out of the sandstone beneath the existing station for the metro.

Central station now features the longest escalator in the Southern Hemisphere — complete with special panelling to stop commuters getting vertigo.

This new station has entrances on Raglan and Wellington streets and is expected to take the pressure off Redfern and Green Square stations.

The end of the line for metro passengers, until the line is extended all the way to Bankstown next year.

Will I get to where I'm going faster?

The new direct trip between Sydenham and Chatswood will take 22 minutes — slashing at least 13 minutes off the current peak-hour commute which involves switching trains at Town Hall.

To head from Sydenham to the employment hub of Macquarie Park is 31 minutes.

And a journey under the harbour from Victoria Cross station to Barangaroo will take just three minutes.

A trip all the way from Tallawong in the north-west to Barangaroo in Sydney's CBD will take 46 minutes — a journey which takes over an hour on an express bus in morning peak or up to an hour-and-a-half battling on the roads in a car.

What will it look like?

The stations along the route are unlike any Sydney has seen before.

Mr Lawson said they've been deliberately designed to be very different from each other so they're instantly recognisable to commuters on arrival.

"Each has a slightly different palette of materials, colours, finishes that helps you to just intuitively know I'm in the right station," he said.

The new Gadigal station has futuristic white curves and striped lines, while at Waterloo commuters are greeted with a giant image of a smiling Indigenous boy and a sculpture featuring 100 Indigenous footprints along a wall moulded by artist Nicole Monk.

Public art for each station has been carefully conceived and executed to bring a sense of place to each stop.

"These have to be big stations to deal with the expected number of customers that will be coming through but you want them to be vibrant and enjoyable spaces to be in as well," Mr Lawson said.

But he said there has also been a focus on designing the interchanges between the metro stations and the rest of the transport network to work seamlessly.

"No barrier — quick, straight off the train onto your bus or your connecting service."

What's the catch?

Firstly, if you're hoping to get a seat for your journey the odds are against you.

Sydney's metro trains and its station platforms have both been designed for standing — although there is one row of seats running up and down each side of the carriage beneath the windows for those who manage to snag them.

It means that if you're not getting on at one of the first stops on the new line, you're likely to be hanging onto the handrail unless someone gives up their seat for you.

And with a speed of up to 100 km/h, this can make for a hair-raising ride at times.

Transport network expert Mathew Hounsell said while many metros around the world are designed to cram in maximum passengers by limiting seats, the idea of standing may be enough to put off those commuters who tend to be travelling longer distances.

"That is one of the problems with the current design," he said.

"The consultants tended to focus on Asian cities which are much more compact, but no-one wants to stand for half-an-hour or an hour on a fast moving metro.

"So the real question is whether or not people think, 'I don't like this, I can't stand for this long, I'll just go back to the car'."

Mr Hounsell also believes the metro's calculations of an almost 40,000 people per hour maximum capacity are unrealistic because "Australians just won't put up" with crammed, peak-hour conditions seen in cities like Tokyo, where metros can resemble tins of sardines.

"The metro's estimate is assuming six people per square metre which is not feasible, it's only about four. So what you are really looking at is two-thirds of that."

Secondly, if something goes wrong on a driverless train, it's a whole new ball game.

In mid-July, a system-wide outage on the existing Metro Northwest line saw about 100 passengers stuck in tunnels for two hours on a Saturday morning.

It's one of the factors that Transport Minister Jo Haylen raised when explaining why the opening of the new line was initially delayed after it failed to gain the green light from the national rail safety regulator in time.

Mr Hounsell warns similar outages are inevitable and they could be compounded if the announcement system in the carriages also went down during an outage.

"The worst-case scenario is people trapped under the harbour in the metro with no staff waiting for a dedicated fire crew who have been trained — and there's only a small number of them — to get from Central to Barangaroo to get access to those people under the harbour," he said.

"If there is a major incident on the metro, there's a problem there because there is no-one to help. The heavy rail is a very different scenario because you've got two people on every train to direct people."

But Mr Lawson said plans were in place to deal with any scenario.

"Part of the work we've been doing ... has been to practice those emergency drills which you hope will never happen, but you want the confidence that our control centre, our teams on the ground and the emergency services know how to respond and are confident in dealing with a train that breaks down in the tunnel or another emergency scenario."

But is it built for the future?

The construction of this major project has been incredibly expensive and complex — with five tunnel boring machines working around the clock and nearly 3 million tonnes of materials excavated from tunnels and stations.

Retro-fitting a new metro line beneath a built-up city like Sydney was particularly challenging — for example machines working on Gadigal station near Town Hall had to weave their way through underground utilities and were working just metres above the Cross City Tunnel.

Sydney Metro executives and experts like Mr Hounsell agree that the line will really come into its own once the next stage — from Sydenham to Bankstown in the south-west — comes online.

But in order to do that, the existing century-old Bankstown line and its stations need to be converted to handle driverless trains — and last year the government delivered the news that it would require the T3 line to be shut down for 12 months, forcing thousands of commuters onto buses.

"The opening of the section to Bankstown will be huge," Mr Hounsell said.

"We can't really underestimate just how big of a change to the city a fast, frequent metro will be because that area is much more dense than the north-west [of Sydney]."

The entire metro concept in NSW is also predicated on the trade-off of massively boosting density around the new metro stations, with plans to deliver tens of thousands of new homes.

So while the latest stretch of the metro is widely anticipated to begin operating with plenty of spare capacity and the ability to ramp up to more frequent services, Mr Hounsell said there will eventually be a tipping point in the future as more and more people move to live around metro stations.

"At some point every metro fills up," he said.

"The transport system is always changing and as people move from the roads to the metro, the roads will get better so people will think, 'Oh you know what, the roads are faster, so I'll move back to the roads'.

"There's this constant push-and-pull where the public transport network sets the speed of the road system."

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related stories

New metro opening the biggest 'historical moment' for sydney transport since harbour bridge.

The story behind the art and architecture inside Sydney Metro's new city stations

Opening of Sydney's new Metro line on Monday 'equivalent to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge'

'The railway is safe': Minister assures commuters after Sydney Metro line opening delayed

Sydney Metro yet to be ticked off by safety regulator days out from scheduled opening

Sydney's metro mayhem — what's gone wrong?

Topic: Explainer

Related topics

North Sydney

Public Transport

Rail Transport Industry

State and Territory Government

UPDATE: Dallas man dies in I-5 crash that closed traffic in both directions near Salem

One person is dead and another suffered serious injuries Thursday morning after a four-vehicle crash closed traffic in both directions on I-5 north of Salem and south of the Aurora-Donald Interchange, according to Oregon State Police.

Police said officers responded to the crash at 5:26 a.m. on I-5 near milepost 277.

A black Volkswagen Golf driven by a 35-year-old man from Cascades Locks was heading northbound on I-5 behind a maroon Dodge Ram driven by a 59-year-old Salem man, according to a preliminary investigation, and for unknown reasons rear-ended the Dodge Ram at “highway speeds.” Police did not say how fast the Volkswagen was going at the time of the crash.

Police said the driver of the Dodge pickup lost control and spun across the freeway lanes. A 30-year-old Albany woman driving a silver Nissan Altima behind the Volkswagen and Dodge was unable to avoid the crash and hit the Dodge pickup, according to police.

Police said the Dodge and Volkswagen went across the cable barrier and into I-5 southbound lanes. A 31-year-old Dallas man, identified as Kenneth Lee Whelchel, was driving a silver Ford Ranger and was hit, causing him to lose control and crash into the barrier, police said. Whelchel’s truck came to a stop about a quarter mile down the freeway and Whelchel was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Volkswagen was taken by LifeFlight to an area hospital with serious injuries.

The drivers of the Dodge and Nissan were reported to have minor injuries and were not taken from the scene by medics.

Police said I-5 was impacted for six hours during the crash investigation.

Cherrill Crosby is the executive editor of the Statesman Journal. Reach her at crosbyc@statesmanjournal .com

Iowa City's plate reading technology approved in parking ramps. What to know:

Iowa City's parking department can use automated license plate technology in city ramps and on certain city parking enforcement vehicles. They are also allowed to use traffic cameras "primarily for traffic engineering and study."

The ordinance was passed and adopted into Iowa City code by a narrow 4-3 vote by the Iowa City City Council on Tuesday, August 20. Councilors Andrew Dunn, Laura Bergus, and Mazahir Salih voted "no."

The 'no' votes came despite the council unanimously adopting Dunn's changes prior to the final reading and vote to the surprise of some councilmembers.

More: Iowa City moves closer to using automated license plate cameras in parking ramps

Cameras meant to save time, city says

City staff said the new code will increase efficiency and save time for both the city's Parking Division and the community. The recently installed cameras are equipped with plate reading capabilities in three of the city's ramps. The two ungated ramps at Chauncey Swan and Harrison have the tech available, as does the gated Capitol Street Ramp. Those cameras have not yet been activated.

Staff members said the cameras would improve efficiency around the entrance and exit of the city's gated ramps. Associate Director of Transportation Mark Rummel estimated the technology will save the division an hour of manpower per ramp per day.

Rummel said the cameras will also discourage customers who park in a ramp for several days and then choose the 'lost ticket' option open at the exit gate. Likewise, the camera tech will help drivers who actually misplace their tickets.

Drivers with city parking permits would also no longer need a physical "hang tag" that is issued annually.

Traffic cameras are OK

The city's "traffic engineering" cameras—or "intersection cameras"— are now code-exempt as well.

The city uses intersection cameras to investigate damaged or malfunctioning traffic signals.

The council held lengthy discussions about Flock cameras recently as they built the Fiscal 2025 budget, ultimately deciding not to buy them. Flock is an automated license plate reader that some police departments, including the University of Iowa PD, have used.

More: Vote for top offensive player in Iowa City area entering 2024 Iowa high school football season

City can't store license plate data for common use

A previous council had instated protections against the use of automated plate readers and automated traffic surveillance systems and necessitated this change.

The recent change carved out legal definitions for the use of the traffic-related automated systems . It restricts the city from storing, selling or aggregating data from the automated plate cameras and automated traffic systems "unless the data directly pertains to a qualified traffic law violation or other criminal law violation for which a ticket, citation, or arrest was issued."

Councilors voted unanimously in favor of these amendments.

On plate cameras, the ordinance will now read:

"Automatic license plate recognition systems or devices installed in City parking ramps or on City Parking Department vehicles, primarily used for parking enforcement, are not included in this definition."

On traffic camera technology, the ordinance reads:

"Specific Streets and Traffic Engineering Division cameras installed at intersections with traffic signals or roundabouts, used primarily for traffic engineering and study, shall not be included in this definition."

More: Iowa's 39 EF1 tornadoes set single-year record, NWS says

Council did not want to completely restrict police from accessing cameras

The language in the amended city code still allows police to access the parking cameras during investigations, consistent with department policy.

Previous discussions considered limitations to the police department's power to use these cameras in relevant investigations. For example, some of the off-the-cuff amended language proposed by Dunn at the last meeting had unintentionally created exclusions for police by limiting camera usage "exclusively" to the Parking Division.

This could have then stopped police from using the parking and traffic cameras to help investigate a sexual assault where they had little other details to work with, for example, City Manager Geoff Fruin said at a previous meeting. The council seemed hesitant to limit police use in all cases.

Councilor Shawn Harmsen also noted on Tuesday that police could have used the cameras to help locate a missing person "out of concern for their health and safety" during a recent investigation.

He wanted to ensure that the code did not restrict police and still allowed investigators to use the litany of city cameras to find or investigate a person's whereabouts in a similar situation.

City Attorney Eric Goers said that would be allowed in the altered code.

Councilor Dunn wanted the city to find a balance between stopping the omnipresent use by city departments and allowing other relevant uses, like a police investigation where little other evidence is available.

"The really big thing that I wanted to avoid was excluding entire camera systems," Dunn said. "This excludes cameras used for a specific purpose in a specific way, but it does not exclude every camera that is operated by the traffic services department. I believe that, functionally, it has the same effect as was desired by staff."

Goers said the amendment did not amount to a "substantive change" of the previously twice-passed ordinance after some additional late modifications by Dunn. A substantive change would have required the council to consider the code change three times again and adhere to Dunn's initial language.

More: Suspect in Marion quadruple murder deemed competent to stand trial in April 2025

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at [email protected]  or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.

The mpox strain spreading now is different from the one in 2022: Here's what to know

The World Health Organization’s decision to declare mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years may seem like déjà vu — but there are key differences between the strain that’s causing international concern now and the one that spread in 2022.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection characterized by painful lesions. It’s spread by direct contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated items like clothing or bedding.

The virus is classified into two distinct groups: clade I and clade II. 

Clade II was responsible for the 2022 outbreak, which has led to around 100,000 cases worldwide . 

But now, a version of clade I has spread internationally. The outbreak started in January 2023 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has since reached 12 other countries in the region.

On Thursday, Sweden confirmed the first known infection of clade I outside Africa , though Swedish health officials said the person was infected while spending time in Africa. Health authorities in Pakistan also confirmed a case of mpox on Friday but have not identified the strain yet. 

Clade I is more transmissible than clade II and capable of being more severe, so infectious disease experts are concerned about further international spread.

“We should have learned a lesson from 2022 that an infection anywhere is potentially an infection everywhere,” said Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health.

How does this version of mpox spread?

Mpox has historically spread in a few ways. The first is through close, personal contact with an infected person, such as skin-to-skin contact with rashes or with saliva or mucus. The second is via contact with contaminated materials. And the third is contact with infected animals: hunting, trapping or cooking them, touching sick rodents or getting bitten or scratched. 

In 2022, the version of clade II that spread globally, dubbed clade IIb, was passed primarily through sexual contact, particularly among men who have sex with men.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo recently, clade Ib has also been spreading through sexual contact among female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Research that hasn’t yet been published or peer reviewed linked an outbreak in an eastern mining town in Congo to professional sex work in bars.

But that’s not the only way the virus is being transmitted. Dr. Stuart Isaacs, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said much of the spread of clade I could be due to exposure to animals and transmission within households, but limited surveillance in the regions where the virus is make it difficult to know for sure. 

Isaacs said there’s early evidence that clade Ib has certain “properties that are allowing it to spread more readily person to person.”

How severe are the recent cases?

In the past, outbreaks of clade I have been deadlier than clade 2, killing up to 10% of people who got sick . But more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates. Out of an estimated 22,000 cases in this outbreak in Congo , more than 1,200 people have died — which puts the fatality rate at just above 5%. 

By comparison, clade II outbreaks in Africa have generally had a mortality rate of around 1%, and just 0.2% of cases linked to the 2022 global outbreak were fatal.

Rimoin said the disease’s severity “can have less to do with the actual clade and more to do with route of transmission, the immune system of the individual, the source of the infection.” 

The threat in the U.S. could be milder than in Africa, according to Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

“The underlying health conditions of the population in the DRC are probably contributing to the current case fatality rate,” he said, using the acronym for the Democratic Republic of Congo. “With less malnutrition and better access to health care resources, I would imagine that the case fatality rate will not be as high as we’re seeing in the DRC.”

Vaccines for mpox are also widely available in the U.S., following a major rollout effort in 2022. Two doses of the mpox vaccine or a previous clade II infection should protect against severe illness from clade I, the Department of Health and Human Service said Wednesday.

Do mpox symptoms differ between the clades?

Symptoms of the two mpox clades can be difficult to distinguish from each other.

The illness generally starts with a rash that progresses to small bumps on the skin, followed by blisters that fill with whitish fluid — a hallmark of the disease — and eventually scab over. People may also experience a fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

These symptoms often disappear on their own within a few weeks. But in severe cases, people may develop larger, more widespread lesions, secondary bacterial infections, pneumonia, heart inflammation or swelling of the brain. Immunocompromised people may develop atypical symptoms and have a greater risk of hospitalization and death. 

Historically, mpox lesions have tended to appear on the face, chest, palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. But during the 2022 outbreak, people frequently developed lesions around the genital and anal region or inside the mouth and throat, presumably because of how the virus was spreading at the time . The lesions were also fewer in number and less pronounced overall.

Some cases of this nature have also been detected in the current outbreak in Congo. 

“There is talk that there are more people that have lesions around the genitals this time around than previous clade I outbreaks,” said Amira Albert Roess, a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University. “It’s going to take us some time to really understand what may be going on here.”

Aria Bendix is the breaking health reporter for NBC News Digital.