Anyone know what these are?

[DavidD]

I've been seeing these things go up for a year and a half or so along the interstates and cannot figure out what they are for. They look like some type of sensor or antennae but I'm just guessing.

[Garufa]

I belive that is a traffic camera. TDOT is watching.

[DavidD]

I belive that is a traffic camera. TDOT is watching.

I don't believe that is what these are as they are also mounted to the poles that have the traffic camera's which are the Black Globes. The picture isn't all that great as it is from my iphone while driving 60 mph down the interstate. These tings are every 1/4 mile or so in some places. I keep thinking they are a radiation detector or something but who knows, maybe my hat is too tight .

[SHbicycle]

Your tax dollars at work

[molonlabetn]

Probably RFID scanners.

[DavidD]

Your tax dollars at work

You ain't kidding. I watched them run cables for 20 miles on all three interstates. Wonder what the heck the final bill was???? I know some were for cameras but have no idea what these little things are.

[DavidD]

Probably RFID scanners.

Any idea for what and why so often?

[strickj]

Maybe that sign on the pole says what it is...

[Guest mustangdave]

Speed sensors?

[Garufa]

Any idea for what and why so often?

Your implant.

[DavidD]

Maybe that sign on the pole says what it is...

Excuse the crappy iphone photo,that is actually a power box.

Your implant.

Maybe that explains why I'm so inclined to notice them.....

[Mike.357]

the man is extending his reach every day. The man always watches.

[LagerHead]

It's an extension of flag@whitehouse.gov. Now they don't even need someone to e-mail the president to find out about your dissenting views, they can scan them directly from your thoughts.

[Guest Muttling]

If you're talking about the ones on I-75 just north of Chattanooga, they're radar poles that are part of a fog detection system. (That's why radar detectors go wild in that part of interstate.)

The largest car pile up in our nations history happened there back in the early 90's. Well over 100 vehicles were involved. After the initial wreck, other drivers kept plowing into the collision because they couldn't see it in time to stop.

The Bowater Paper plant was blamed for making the fog worse with their ponds for holding heated process water at their paper mill. They didn't admit any wrong doing, but (as part of the settlement with the State) they agreed to pay for the installation of that fog detection system and gates to allow closing of that section of interstate when it gets too bad.

On a note of caution, one of Bowater's conditions to the agreement was that a State Trooper be in that area at ALL times. I don't know if the Highway Patrol is continuing to stick to such an old agreement, but there used to always be a Trooper in that area and he was typically running radar.

As for other areas in the state, it's mostly cameras or microwave communications for DOT.

[Guest yankee2010]

Shovel ready jobs

[TripleDigitRide]

I'm pretty sure they are TDOT's SafeWay traffic flow sensors.

[gregintenn]

I'm pretty sure they are TDOT's SafeWay traffic flow sensors.

We have a winner!

[SkunkSlayer]

I've been seeing these things go up for a year and a half or so along the interstates and cannot figure out what they are for. They look like some type of sensor or antennae but I'm just guessing.

DD, Called neighbor that works for TDOT, said they were, didn't know the tech. name, traffic speed detection radar for

(TDOT Use Only ) wink wink.

[TripleDigitRide]

DD, Called neighbor that works for TDOT, said they were, didn't know the tech. name, traffic speed detection radar for

(TDOT Use Only ) wink wink.

Yes, but they can't dectect exact vehicles. They are used to detect traffic flow. This alerts TDOT/TDOT HELP Veicles, emergency personel to possible accidents, broken down vehicle, etc.

This sysyem also helps them determine the travel time - often seen on the overhead traffic information signs along the Interstate and other major highways.

[SkunkSlayer]

Yes, but they can't dectect exact vehicles. They are used to detect traffic flow. This alerts TDOT/TDOT HELP Veicles, emergency personel to possible accidents, broken down vehicle, etc.

This sysyem also helps them determine the travel time - often seen on the overhead traffic information signs along the Interstate and other major highways.

Think the State/City LE will get access to this one day and send out LE to write tickets to slow speeders down. I have seen them all over Nashville, I drive Briley Pky often and it's a autobahn sometimes.

I do get the idea on how system is networked through tdot.

[gregintenn]

TDOT SmartWay - Tennessee Department of Transportation-

It is part of our SmartWay system. It helps control and alleviate traffic problems. It was an expensive project, but is actually pretty neat. One of the functions of those things is to calculate the times to certain destinations that you see on the big message boards as you are coming into Nashville. It also relays the traffic information to our IT building on Centinnial Blvd. This is used to immediatly detect road conditions, accidents, etc. You can get this info froom TDOT, and the news agencies also use this info for their traffic reports. There are also cameras mounted along the interstate as well. As for now, their use is innocent enough, but their capabilities are wuite frightening.

[DavidD]

So they are speed sensors, guess that makes sense.