What Are These "Diamond Lollipops"???

[thenetwork]

Grand Junction, CO is pretty much on top of all the new changes in signage, regulations and technology, including:

- Mixed Caps in all street blades (currently replacing signs in ALL CAPS)
- Using the new strobe LEDs for crosswalk signals.
- Including the new YIELD TO PEDS signs at intersections.

But one new thing that has just sprouted up like the flowers in the area are these new "Diamond Lollipops" which are starting to be installed above signalized intersections around town  over the past 2 weeks.

Here is what they look like:





The cameras which detect turns have been there for a while now, but I'm curious to find out what these new contraptions are?  Anyone know???

[NE2]

http://web.archive.org/web/20041208030820/http://www.tackamarks.freeservers.com/index.html

[Revive 755]

If they are on top of all of the changes, why does the signal use an offset doghouse instead of a head with a flashing yellow arrow?

As to the diamond things, I believe they are for a microwave interconnect.

[KEK Inc.]

Microwave sensors.  Many cities are using them over inductive loops.

[Bitmapped]

In this case, it looks like this is an antenna for radio interconnect between signals.  Microwave sensors are generally mounted as a square and need to be pointed at the traffic lanes.

[hotdogPi]

Someone could just send a signal at the microwave sensor with the exact frequency/wavelength to trigger it...

[DaBigE]

In this case, it looks like this is an antenna for radio interconnect between signals.  Microwave sensors are generally mounted as a square and need to be pointed at the traffic lanes.

Agreed. Especially since video detection units are shown on both mast arms in the top picture. Unless they're testing new sensors, generally you wouldn't have more than one type of sensor per direction (preemption receivers excluded).

[jakeroot]

If they are on top of all of the changes, why does the signal use an offset doghouse instead of a head with a flashing yellow arrow?

Grand Junction, CO is pretty much on top of all the new changes in...

More to the point, FYAs are not required. And the offset doghouse is common in some states, including Colorado. I don't believe the MUTCD dictates any requirement for center or offset placement (though illustrations place it in the middle).

[thenetwork]

If they are on top of all of the changes, why does the signal use an offset doghouse instead of a head with a flashing yellow arrow?

Grand Junction, CO is pretty much on top of all the new changes in...

More to the point, FYAs are not required. And the offset doghouse is common in some states, including Colorado. I don't believe the MUTCD dictates any requirement for center or offset placement (though illustrations place it in the middle).

On CDOT-Maintained roads in the GJ area, they have regressed -- replacing doghouses with leading or lagging left turn arrows.  Most of these intersections would have been better off with the FYA or no changes at all.   GJ city-maintained signals are much better at reducing wait times and moving traffic than the CDOT-maintained roads.

[6a]

In this case, it looks like this is an antenna for radio interconnect between signals.  Microwave sensors are generally mounted as a square and need to be pointed at the traffic lanes.

Columbus has installed a bunch of these downtown; the story being running fiber to the lights would have been a nightmare.