As Flock cameras spread across Maine, safety advocates question some roadside poles
The CBS13 I-Team reports that MaineDOT has not received a single application for a licence plate reader installation within state rights-of-way, despite Flock cameras appearing across the state. Maine standards require poles to sit at least six feet from the roadway edge unless a breakaway system is used, and the agency said any reader inside a state right-of-way would need a waiver process and an inspection to confirm it does not create a highway safety problem. Safety advocate Steve Eimers, who reviewed installations in Maine and Tennessee, said he is "finding near 100% improper installation".
From the reporting
- A standalone pole on Route 100 in Falmouth was identified as potentially unsafe and missing breakaway features.
- Cameras in York were set back three feet from the roadway, a placement chosen to avoid interfering with snow removal.
- MaineDOT receiving zero applications is the most checkable fact in the story: it comes from the agency itself, not from an advocate's assessment.
- Flock did not respond to the I-Team's questions about how it ensures roadside safety standards during installation.
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