Traffic Cams

I noticed today that the cameras mounted above the traffic lights have a little antenna behind them. I noticed this while at Deitrick's on Westheimer, looking out at the westbound Westheimer traffic light at Hazard. It's fascinating. I wonder what you could do with that? I assume the units are cameras because they are mounted in a cylindrical housing with an integrated sunshade on a pipe well above the traffic signals but aimed down at the lanes of traffic faced by the below signals. Given the antenna, I would assume that the data is wireless and the cable going into it is power.

Now what are they for? At first, I was dismayed to see them going in as I have read about traffic cameras being used for correspondence traffic ticketing. However, I haven't heard a peep about that in Houston despite a mojor deployment going on. Where is the traffic camera money coming from and for what are they being used? If they are being used to study traffic, then why aren't the lights better timed?

Houston TranStar - The Greater Houston Transportation and Emergency Management Center