An INDOT traffic-count Miovision Scout® camera recently caught live footage of a tornado and survived being struck by the twister.
“Holding up during a tornado certainly increased our confidence in the equipment, which is why we have recently purchased four of the newer units¹ and look forward to using them for years to come,” said Gregory Katter, PE, Traffic Statistics Supervisor at Indiana Department of Transportation².
INDOT uses 80 Miovision Scout® cameras throughout the state for the purpose of collecting lane traffic and turning-movement counts. The cameras are portable, and typically deployed for 24 hours. However, cameras deployed on interstates are in place for 48 hours and, occasionally, up to five days to get weekend traffic counts.
On April 2nd 2024, a tornado roared through Jeffersonville in Clark County. A Miovision Scout® camera, placed at Mile Marker 11 on I-265 between 10th Street and International Drive, caught all the action.
Video depicting vehicles approaching eastbound toward Kentucky.
Miovision Scout® cameras capture volume and classification for up to six class bins: motorcycles, passenger cars, light trucks, buses, single-unit trucks, and combination trucks.
INDOT has been using these cameras since 2010, in part to keep INDOT workers and equipment off the roadway. Setting up pneumatic tubes across highways and interstates is dangerous as it requires a technician to enter the roadway.
Utilizing video-based equipment for traffic data collection enhances study outcomes by leveraging a synergy of technologies – cameras, video processing, and AI algorithms – to deliver verifiable, precise, and dependable data and insights. Unlike conventional pneumatic tube counters, these systems employ post-process video image analysis to detect and categorize vehicles, eliminating the need for road tubes in the roadway. Miovision Scout®is a non-intrusive, safe deployment.
To process the traffic studies, the video recording is pulled from the cameras and uploaded to Miovision servers for processing. Data files are later downloaded, edited for format compliance, and uploaded to INDOT’s Traffic Count Database System.
In the case of the tornado, INDOT reviewed the video because Miovision reported that there was a failure during the study.
“But it turned out that the camera continued recording during and after a tornado, which is a testament to the durability of the equipment,” said Katter. “Even through the heavy rain obscuring the camera, it was still possible to get an idea of what was occurring.”
This is the first known recording of a tornado in the 14 years that INDOT has deployed these cameras.
To explore how Miovision can enhance your traffic monitoring initiatives, reach out to our experts today. Let us guide you towards a safer, smarter transportation future.