Have you ever noticed those black cables carefully placed on the road while driving? They may seem mysterious, but they actually serve a very important purpose!

These black cables are called road tubes, and they are used by local transportation agencies to gather important information about traffic patterns in a given area. Don’t worry, they are perfectly safe to drive over.

Road tubes are strategically placed in unassuming areas to cause the least amount of interference. When a vehicle’s tire hits the tube, a burst of air is sent through the rubber tubing to an on-site counter. This counter collects all the data.

The tubes not only count the number of cars that pass over them, but they can also determine peak traffic by analyzing the interval between air bursts. When the tubes are used in pairs, even more data such as vehicle class, speed, and direction can be gathered.

All this data is collected and interpreted to help transportation agencies make important decisions. For example, if there is a need to change speed limits or update signage, the collected data can provide valuable insights.

These black cables may not seem like much, but they can gather a wealth of information all from a simple puff of air!

Did you know about these mysterious black cables? If not, share this information with others and let them in on the secret.