FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Pairs of black cords that run over public roads have been spotted in West Virginia, but don’t worry—they are not tracking your speed.
According to West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) District 4 Manager Mike Daley, the cords and the boxes attached to them are traffic counters. Although they are frequently placed at speed limit signs, they only track the ADT—average daily traffic on that section of road.
The ADT is counted on state-owned roads about every four years, Daley said, and each counter is in place for about two weeks. Data is then sent to the WVDOT Traffic Division to help its members make decisions such as planning materials and scheduling maintenance and roadway projects.
12 News noticed the cords several Fairmont roads in the summer of 2023, but Daley said that they are placed on roadways across the state. Now that the weather has warmed up in 2024, they are starting to show up again, including on the Interstate 79 entrance and exit ramps in White Hall.
