You may have encountered black cables stretched across the road, but why are they there?

Are They Safe?

Yes. Pneumatic road tubes are designed to be low-profile and durable. Driving over them is completely safe for vehicles. They’re made to withstand thousands of cars passing over them without damage.

The Bottom Line

Those mysterious black cables aren’t surveillance tools or hazards — they’re simple but effective traffic counters. The next time you drive over one, you’ll know you’re helping local engineers gather the data needed to improve roads and keep drivers safer.

Sometimes the most ordinary-looking equipment plays a surprisingly important role in how our communities function.