I Asked INDOT About Those New I-69 Cameras

Several times over the last couple of weeks, I found myself asking the same question while driving Interstate 69.

"What are those new cameras?"

If you're like me and you drive I-69 regularly, maybe you've noticed them too. They're mounted on tall, narrow poles with white equipment boxes attached, and they don't look like the Flock safety cameras you'll see around Evansville. They're also not the familiar INDOT TrafficWise cameras that let you check live traffic conditions online.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I started digging.

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They Aren't Speed Cameras

My first thought was that they might be part of Indiana's Safe Zones program, which allows speed enforcement cameras in certain highway construction work zones.

That didn't seem to fit, though.

Safe Zone locations must be clearly marked with signs informing drivers that speed limits are enforced by a camera. I didn't see any of those signs near these cameras. Plus, when I first reported on Safe Zone cameras in 2024, I learned that Indiana only has a limited number of active Safe Zones at one time, and they post their locations online.

That sent me back to the drawing board.

Read More: Indiana Drivers Still Argue Over This Road Construction Rule

They Aren't INDOT TrafficWise Cameras Either

Next, I reached out to Gary Brian, Public Relations Director for INDOT's Southwest District.

Initially, he confirmed that they are not TrafficWise cameras, which are the cameras used to provide real-time traffic images for motorists.

I followed up with a more detailed description of the cameras and their locations.

One is attached to the 2.6-mile marker on I-69, just past the end of the construction zone for the new Ohio River Bridge approach that is currently being built.

Another is mounted near the emergency vehicle turnaround in the median between mile markers 1.4 and 1.6, attached to the "No U-Turn" sign.

That's when he was able to identify them.

I-69 INDOT Cameras

So What Are They?

According to Brian, the cameras are being used for traffic studies.

Those cameras are for traffic studies in the area. Our teams use these cameras as a way to get traffic counts through an area. We use these types of cameras all throughout Indiana as a way to identify issues or needs along roadways.

The information helps INDOT better understand traffic patterns and vehicle volumes, which can be used when evaluating future roadway improvements, congestion issues, and transportation planning.

Why That Matters

Traffic counts may not sound particularly exciting, but they're one of the tools transportation engineers use when deciding where changes are needed.

The data can help identify congestion trends, evaluate how heavily a roadway is being used, and support future planning for intersections, interchanges, and other infrastructure.

So while the cameras might look unfamiliar, they're not issuing speeding tickets or streaming live video to the public. They're simply collecting traffic data to help INDOT better understand how Indiana's roads are being used.

Mystery solved!