Mysterious New Gadgets Popping Up Above Tyler Stoplights—What Are They?

(KNUE-FM) Have you seen these devices perched above our Tyler, Texas street lights? I've seen them before around town, but hadn't noticed them at the light at Old Jacksonville and County Road 168 in the Gresham area until yesterday morning.

Maybe it's because I was exhausted while waiting to take a left on Old Jacksonville for my happy Sunday grocery trip to Fresh by Brookshire's, but they stood out to me more than they ever have before.

Noticing These Devices on Tyler Traffic Lights? You’re Not Alone

Obviously they have something to do with managing traffic flow, unless they are some kind of not-so-very-stealth spy devices. (Yes, I'm kidding.) However, I became curious, given how we've heard the City of Tyler recently re-timed the lights. My curiosity drove me to post in some local social media groups, but I'm still waiting for the admins to approve my posts so I can get feedback from my fellow East Texans.

What the City of Tyler Has Been Doing with Traffic Signals

In the meantime, I did a Google image search to see what I could find out, lest I fall into despair and confusion and lose sleep over it all. (Yes, I'm being ridiculous--but I really did want to know.)

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According to Google, these devices are likely "sensors for a traffic preemption system, which helps emergency vehicles pass through intersections more quickly and safely," which I found crucially important. If that's the case, I'm so glad they're there.

The Real Purpose of These Streetlight Devices (Most Likely)

And that camera? I am guessing the cameras are to get a look at the traffic congestion. That good be part of the traffic preemption system setup, but I also wonder if that's also to take a look at the traffic congestion, in case the City of Tyler is still in the process of re-timing all of the lights, having not gotten to all of them as of yet.

Have You Spotted More of These Around East Texas?

For those of you who know definitively, is that what these are? Have you been seeing more of these lately or have they been around forever and now I definitely need to go and have my eyes, and possibly brain, checked out by a doctor? Shoot me a note at tara.holley@townsquaremedia.com.