Governors Highway Safety Association<\/span>.<\/a><\/p>\nAccording to Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick, the traffic cameras in Hamden are being used to monitor traffic flow. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese are not enforcement cameras,\u201d Nursick said. \u201cThey are not to scan people\u2019s license plates or taking pictures or anything of that nature. They are detection cameras.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nursick explained that the cameras are being installed all across the state to replace loop detectors \u2013 aging in-ground traffic signal technology that is no longer able to operate adequately.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been moving toward installing cameras in place of the loop detector systems across the state, and we\u2019ve got a lot of work to do still, but we\u2019re slowly making headway in terms of transitioning from loop detector systems to the camera systems,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Although the cameras are not being utilized for detecting red light offenses at this time, 22-year-old Quinnipiac student, and Connecticut resident, David Gassel, does see potential in using the cameras for more than just managing traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they used them to monitor potential accidents, and they catch a drunk driver running a red light, they could use that in the case against them,\u201d Gassel said. \u201cI think that could be a good use for (the cameras).\u201d<\/p>\n
As for why loop detector systems are being replaced statewide at this time, Nursick explained that a string of recent complaints has expedited the camera installations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe loop detectors are probably the single biggest failure issue that we have with traffic signals across the state of Connecticut,\u201d Nursick said. \u201cWe\u2019ll get complaints from people\u2026 they\u2019ll call us up and say \u2018Hey, I was out at this traffic light at 11 p.m. and there\u2019s no traffic and it\u2019s making me sit there for two minutes before it turns green\u2019 or \u2018Hey, in the middle of rush hour, we\u2019re getting off the exit ramp and this light just isn\u2019t turning for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nursick also raved about the new technology\u2019s ability to offer real-time access to the Connecticut Department of Transportation \u2013 allowing the department to monitor potential traffic issues, something loop detectors cannot do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are much less prone to failure and the technology is really improving on these things \u2013 you can access them remotely and make adjustments,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can remotely monitor them to make sure they are functioning properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gassel feels that having the Department of Transportation monitor the cameras can have additional benefits beyond traffic management.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they\u2019re using them like they say they are, it gives someone a job\u2026 someone has to check that camera. It puts money on someone\u2019s table.\u201d<\/p>\n
While loop detectors are able to sense vehicle movement through an underground wiring system, the new traffic light cameras allow for easier digital detection of traffic flow due to 360 degree viewing capabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you looked at one of the screens from these things, it basically sets up a customized grid for each location and it digitally sees vehicles at the intersection and it sends that information to what we call the control cabinet, which typically looks like a metal cabinet somewhere near that intersection,\u201d Nursick explained.<\/p>\n
In addition to regular traffic jams, Nursick explained that other factors, such as construction, could impact the capabilities of loop detectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still have the traffic signal there operating with the loop detector, even if you mill the thing out when you\u2019re ready to pave, but you have to go to a pre-programmed, one-size-fits-all setting on the traffic signal \u2013 and that doesn\u2019t work very well,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is not dynamic, it is not live, it is not real-time, dynamic capability. So it causes problems. And that contributes to congestion.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the new camera systems have been installed at locations across the state, the cameras in Hamden are maintained by the town\u2019s Department of Traffic.<\/p>\n
The Hamden Department of Traffic has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the matter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Jeremy Troetti The operation is simple. A driver runs a red light and in an instant, a camera flash records the incident. The driver then receives a ticket in the mail. Photo via Jeremy Troetti Despite a Feb. 11 report by NBC Connecticut detailing mayor Curt Leng\u2019s plan to have new traffic light cameras … Continue reading Hamden traffic light cameras not for ticketing drivers- state<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hamden"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=612"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2285,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612\/revisions\/2285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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