What is the purpose of the machines that display your speed on the roadways? A: Recently, with the heavy rains, there have been quite a few large monitors that have been placed on the side of the road displaying messages
What is the purpose of the machines that display your speed on the roadways?
A: Recently, with the heavy rains, there have been quite a few large monitors that have been placed on the side of the road displaying messages such as: The Road is Flooded, Drive with Caution; or Your Speed is…
With this in mind, we wanted to know whether these machines were serving a purpose other than just displaying your speed.
To get our answer, we contacted Scott Ishikawa of the state Department of Transportation.
Upon research, he was able to find out that officials with the state Department of Transportation owns two of these machines on the island of Kaua‘i, which are portable for use on any roadway they desire.
Since these machines display your speed, we wondered whether or not data was being collected and being used in a study.
The answer Ishikawa provided was that these machines, although displaying your speed, are not meant for collecting data.
Instead, they are used for enforcement.
As drivers see these signs, they become aware of their speed and, hopefully, slow down.
So, in essence, the machines’ primary purpose is to remind drivers to obey the speed laws so that they and other drivers may be safe on the road, Ishikawa said.
If you have a question you would like Marissa Agena, editorial assistant, to find the answer to, please contact Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
