What are those metal poles along some highways that are 20' higher than the lightpoles?

Question

Along route 8 particularly between Naugatuck and Waterbury

CT. there are poles, similar to the light poles, but they are perhaps 20' higher than the light poles. They are located

approximately 3/4 of a mile apart. Instead of a light extended out about 6 feet, they have a square like box extended out perhaps one foot. For some reason I think they are called safety cameras. Seems like I heard there are a lot of them in Europe. Do you know what they are called and what they do and who controls them etc. etc.? I am wondering if they are homeland security, speed monitors, radiation monitors, zoom cameras, traffic congestion monitors, terrorist monitors, etc. Don't some GPS systems advise you when you are approaching them?

Answer 1

I live in Washington State and we have similar things although they aren't exactly as you describe them and they are spaced out a little more than every 3/4 mile.  Ours are simply traffic cameras that the Department of Transportation uses to monitor traffic congestion and what not.  You can go to the DOT website for Seattle and you can see what the camera is currently showing at each of the locations that you see the poles at.