ibe98765 Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 I noticed the other day that every stop light pole in 2 towns along a major road (about 3 miles (at least)) have/are being outfitted with camera like devices. Here's a couple of photo's to see what I am talking about:Devices on light polesDoes anyone know what these devices are and what they are for? Are they cameras, radar guns or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longgone Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 If they are mounted on traffic light poles ... there is a chance that they are "red light" cameras ,,, if it is just a plain old street light pole they could be either monitoring the public or traffic flow and possibly be connected to the local police department or the people that are in charge of the highways where you are at. A possibility also is they could be some time of sensor that will change a traffic lights color allowing emergency vehicles to have the right of way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 Judging by the size, I'd agree with the emergency light-change unit. It receives a light signal (laser, strobe...) from an emitter on an emergency vehicle and changes the next light to green for them, decreasing the chance of collisions. The red light cameras they have around here are larger, about the size of a bread box. Then again, I wouldn't rule out alien tracking devices... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzButt Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 We have them at nearly every intersection of any size here in Oakland County, MIThey are used for traffic monitoring. Instead of using the inductive loops at intersections (same as the ones at McDonalds to tell them a car is at the speaker) These camera's can tell the controller what is going on in any certain lane that it is aimed at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlinecomputers Posted June 5, 2004 Share Posted June 5, 2004 We have them too. They are always pointed at the left turn lanes to see of there are any cars there. No car no left turn signal. Cheaper and easier then diggng up the pavement for a sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted June 5, 2004 Author Share Posted June 5, 2004 We have them too. They are always pointed at the left turn lanes to see of there are any cars there. No car no left turn signal. Cheaper and easier then diggng up the pavement for a sensor.This is Northern CA (San Bruno, Millbrae) and on this main road, there are ALWAYS cars in the left lane, so I doubt that is what is going on.I also doubt they are red light cameras. I hear they are fairly expensive and to put one at every stop light seems excessive. While we do have some red light runners, it isn't a major problem, like it is in up in San Francisco.Someone I asked also guessed that they were for changing the lights for police and emergency vehicles. This seems most likely, but they seem pretty large for this task.Given the hefty budget problems in CA, it seems to me that installing these on every stop light must be pretty expensive. There has to be more use for them than just allowing emergency vehicles to change the lights. Maybe they are going to auto count passing cars and decided when to switch a light red? Then they might be justified as saving gas. They could possibly also be used to allow the lights to be changed by command then. My curiosity is piqued. I think I'll give the traffic dept a call next week and report back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebkens Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 We have those all over the place here too (small-town Virginia). Let us know what you find out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted June 30, 2004 Author Share Posted June 30, 2004 And the answer is: The cameras are used to trip the signal at the intersections. They are like movement sensors that when an object about the size of a bicycle come into the zone, it trips the light to change so that the bicycle can get through the intersection. This is a pilot program that is being tried out on El Camino to help bicyclists and people on those electric rolling movers to get through the area with less struggle. In other areas the cameras are also being tried out to replace the standard sensor pads for cars. They are cheaper, easier to repair, and would make road repaving easier.Let me know if you have further questions.Jack Holden GainesPublic Affairs OfficerCalifornia Department of TransportationOffice: 510-286-4454 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wawadave Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 hellobig brother is just extending his network in a town near you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 2, 2004 Author Share Posted July 2, 2004 I asked for some tech details. This is what I was sent as a followup: There are many questions in your correspondences with JW. Let me give you the "whats" and "how" of these video detectors. Video detector is essentially a video image processing system, but it does not have the resolution and sophistication to identify the detail of the vehicles nor the persons in the vehicles. When a video detector system is installed at a signalized intersection, detection zones are set up using a computer or key pad with a video monitor. Within the detection zones, the system "remembers" the images in the zones. Each zone is being monitored by the system individually. When there is change in the image, the detector will assume that a vehicle has been detected and puts in a call to the traffic signal controller. Sensing of a vehicle is almost instant. In the Caltrans video detection system, the video detection system consists of a CCTV camera mounted on the mastarm signal pole or a special camera pole, coaxial cable between the camera and the signal controller and video image processing units mounted inside the signal controller. There is no communication between our office or the TMC to the video detection system in the field. There is also no recording of the images. Unlike the inductive loop detectors that rely on detecting ferrous material of a vehicle, the video detection system using image processing method can detect non-ferrous objects such as pedestrians and light weight bicycles. Of course, the video detection system is NOT a perfect system. Naturally it has to be able to "see" in order to process. In heavy fog, sunrise and sunset with the image washed out by the sun, heavy sand storm, the system would be compromised. The system automatically puts in a call for the approach it cannot detect. False call happens too when unintend moving image moves within the detection zone. The most common ones are shadows of trees moving in the wind or animals that run across the road. Tall trucks moving across detection zones not meant for them would trigger calls too. AM I giving you too much information? Hope that it helps. You can go to websites such as Econolite, Peek Traffic, Iteris or Eagle to find out more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Wow!! Well, they certainly aren't trying to hide anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeg4 Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 and i just saw a purple elephant walking past one of them and it turned the light blue jk i am sure that answer you got was probably correct . i am just a bit paranoid about "BIG BROTHER " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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