What are those black cables in the road?

[J Web]

Ever wonder what those black cables in the road are that we have pretty much no choice but to run over, as they are meant to be. They aren't downed power lines, don't worry. But who knows, some black cables in the road might be a power line or something, sometimes? Anyway Here's an article about it out of Grand Rapids 98.7 WFGR ..

Luckily, the black cables are not something that we drivers need to worry about.

Independent Mail says that,

At times, two parallel cables are deployed. That enables the DOT to determine the speed and type of vehicle (car, bus, or 18-wheel truck). The two-tube counters, also known as Continuous Count Stations (CCS), count vehicles 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Every time a vehicle's tires hit the tube, it sends a burst of air that will trigger a switch that makes an electrical signal.



These black cable tubes are extremely important for federal agencies according to Mental Floss:

One pneumatic tube can track the number of cars driving over a road in any given span of time. By measuring the time that passes between air bursts, officials can determine which time of day has the most traffic congestion. Two pneumatic tubes installed slightly apart from each other paint an even broader picture. Using this method, government agencies can gauge the class, speed, and direction of each vehicle that passes through.

Based on the data from the tubes, cities, and municipalities can check which road signs and speed limits are actually working or not. It also helps figure out how much money they can allot for their transportation budgets.

Read original article from 98.7FGR .. https://wfgr.com/ixp/878/p/black-cables-michigan-roads/

[Eric]

Yeah .. I've seen those from time to time .. can't avoid them as your going down the road.

All fun and games until one time, one of these days, one of those cables gets caught in the tread of a tire and causes mayhem. Hmm?