# Um, why are there now cameras along the highway? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523 "2010-02-03T15:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/1 "2010-02-03T15:23:12Z")
At least through my city. They look just like the red light cameras you see at intersections, except they’re along the highway. I don’t know how widespread this is, and I have not heard any mention of this on the news. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/2 "2010-02-03T15:24:42Z")
I have no idea where you live, but my guess is that you are seeing [traffic cameras](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_camera). ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/3 "2010-02-03T15:47:14Z")
You know how on the morning radio, they say stuff like “I-66 is jammed to Spring Hill. There’s an accident on route 14 through Winston Falls, so avoid that…blah blah blah”? That’s how they know. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/4 "2010-02-03T15:50:38Z")
I guess I need to get with the times. 🙂 I’ve always assumed it was helicopters that tracked road conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/5 "2010-02-03T15:54:56Z")
They could also be [speed cameras](http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/arizona-freeway-speed-cameras/). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/6 "2010-02-03T16:07:28Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I guess I need to get with the times. 🙂 I’ve always assumed it was helicopters that tracked road conditions. No, no. The helicopters track _you_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/7 "2010-02-03T16:26:29Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > No, no. The helicopters track _you_… [insert Soviet Russia joke here.] The morning news on TV around here will show live video footage of freeways, and it ain’t from helicopters. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/8 "2010-02-03T16:32:07Z")
Minnesota’s MNDOT [cameras.](http://www.dot.state.mn.us/tmc/trafficinfo/cameras_map.html) Click on one of the black dots on that map, and you can see exactly what traffic looks like on your route into work. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/9 "2010-02-03T16:45:46Z")
None of this explains the camera my neighbor has pointed at my bedroom window, though. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/10 "2010-02-03T17:06:47Z")
We have a similar system in Salt Lake City called [CommuterLink](http://www.utahcommuterlink.com/). The cameras are monitored at a central location, where operators can program electronic signs on the freeways to warn motorists of conditions. They can also direct police and emergency vehicles and adjust timing on traffic lights as needed. The cameras are available to TV and radio stations for their traffic reporting, and can be viewed online so that you can make adjustments to your trip home from work. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/11 "2010-02-03T17:20:26Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > None of this explains the camera my neighbor has pointed at my bedroom window, though. I imagine that they want to know the speed of traffic at the entrance to the intersection. I know they usually have cameras at the beginning and end of tunnels as well to check the traffic flow. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/12 "2010-02-03T17:30:49Z")
> [@Disheavel](#): > > I imagine that they want to know the speed of traffic at the entrance to the intersection. I know they usually have cameras at the beginning and end of tunnels as well to check the traffic flow. Also to catch you doing any moving violations. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/13 "2010-02-03T17:43:16Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Also to catch you doing any moving violations. Cameras for traffic control are completely different than those for enforcement. The traffic control cameras are not particularly high-resolution video cameras and do not show enough detail to identify a car/driver for a violation. An enforcement camera is generally a still camera accompanied by a flash unit and can resolve a clear photo of a license plate and possibly the driver. Where I live there are traffic control cameras [everywhere](http://www.wtopnews.com/?sid=604381&nid=370). Enforcement cameras are not as commomn. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/14 "2010-02-03T17:51:36Z")
Did any of the traffic cameras catch that whoosh? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/15 "2010-02-03T19:57:14Z")
Some of them are actually speed sensors, rather than used as cameras. Electronics connected to them compare pictures, second to second, compute average travel speeds, which are then reported up to central information collection sources. Google maps shows traffic conditions based on this data. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/16 "2010-02-04T09:38:16Z")
Why the “um”? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/17 "2010-02-04T14:32:37Z")
Today’s news: [Red-light cameras may be upgraded to catch speeders](http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/red-light-cameras-may-be-upgraded-to-catch-speeders-528716.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/18 "2010-02-04T14:43:45Z")
Snopes just published a page on this today. According to them, rumors that NY, FL, and CT are installing freeway speeder cameras is false. [A bit from their page:](http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/cameras.asp) > [@](#): > > However, the implementation of such a system in Florida is not imminent. As of June 2009 only two states in the U.S., Maryland and Arizona, use any form of photo enforcement cameras on freeways; thirteen other states have laws specifically banning the use of freeway cameras, and camera enforcement programs in California and Florida “were dismantled after they were found to be operating outside of state law.” ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-why-are-there-now-cameras-along-the-highway/527523/19 "2010-02-05T14:14:00Z")
Maybe they are going to implement [Average Speed Checks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_Speed_Check), currently used in the UK to manage road works, but will eventually be rolled out on parts of motorways and A roads throughout the UK. They certainly do make people stick to the appropriate limit. Si