What the hell is this?

[Nate here!]

Hi everyone. Nate here!

What is that thing on the mast arm?


- from US 71's post and Flickr

Solar panel? Thanks.

-N8

[DaBigE]

My top three guesses:

• Solar panel
• Some kind of aerial identification
• A different/new kind of preemption receiver

[Molandfreak]

Yes, it appears to be a solar panel.

[jeffandnicole]

After I finally located this intersection on GSV, I'm more intreged by the Horizontial/Veritical traffic light setup for left turns.

http://goo.gl/maps/O7NpZ

[Brandon]

Here's a similar one on IL-47 in Morris:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=41.405477,-88.422658&spn=0.018573,0.042272&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=41.405477,-88.422658&panoid=a7qXw7YNP6F6CzEu9TtpWA&cbp=12,323.18,,0,-43.86

For the record, I hate the new version of Google Maps.

[jeffandnicole]

I've seen them in Vegas as well, but its placement always made me think it was just a sign that was tilted up so traffic can't see it.  Unfortunately, as often as I've walked over the roads there (or been up higher on the floors overlooking the Strip), I've never looked down to get a picture.

https://www.google.com/maps?q=las+vegas&hl=en&ll=36.10899,-115.173368&spn=0.000002,0.000517&sll=41.405549,-88.422712&sspn=0.000579,0.001034&t=h&hnear=Las+Vegas,+Clark+County,+Nevada&z=21&layer=c&cbll=36.108949,-115.173323&panoid=cmNFweL8kNd9IDgHA3spWg&cbp=12,174.45,,0,-8.99

[hotdogPi]

For the record, I hate the new version of Google Maps.

If you go to Google Mapmaker, the yellow roads are back.

google.com/mapmaker

[Revive 755]

They are vibration dampers for the mast arms; see Page 84 (or 95/148) of this document

[Brandon]

They are vibration dampers for the mast arms; see Page 84 (or 95/148) of this document

So much more mundane than I had thought they were.  I thought they were some sort of signal identification to be seen from the air.  Cool to know what they are though.

BTW, Nate here!, don't post #flamebait, please.

[Nate here!]

They are vibration dampers for the mast arms; see Page 84 (or 95/148) of this document

Thank you kind sir!

[Henry]

I also used to think they were solar panels similar to what you'd see on streetlight poles, but now I can see where I was wrong.

[jeffandnicole]

Here's what solar panels look like on traffic lights in NJ. The lights are still hooked up to regular electricity as well.

http://goo.gl/maps/kG3L6

[Indyroads]

Hi everyone. Nate here!

What is that thing on the mast arm?


- from US 71's post and Flickr

Solar panel? Thanks.

-N8

This is actually a vibration damper. to reduce wind induced vibration of the mast arm

They are vibration dampers for the mast arms; see Page 84 (or 95/148) of this document

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to the subject line.

Even though it was initiated by a troll, we did have a good discussion going on vibration dampers.  I never knew what they were before.

OK, restoring what I can salvage of the topic.

[KEK Inc.]

Stockbridge damper is the only one I've seen out west, and they're used on some of ODOT's Warren truss sign bridges, mast arms for traffic signals and WSDOT's prism sign bridges.

If they were solar panels, they're poorly placed.  You want it angled South to get maximum sunlight exposure.

[pctech]

Damper arm is the cover story.....part of NSA surveillance system!

[Jardine]

And that is the cover story for the cover story. 

The Illuminati is actually behind it.

[KEK Inc.]

The mind hive goat from Alanland is actually behind it guys in a secret plan to convert everyone to NIMBYans. 

[Milepost61]

This is actually a vibration damper. to reduce wind induced vibration of the mast arm

Sometimes also called "galloping". Can lead to metal fatigue.