posted on Sep, 2 2009 @ 11:16 PM
The first thing that caught my eye weren't the Gate Arms but how poorly maintained your Freeways are there! And I thought California's Freeways were
poorly maintained!
As far as those gates, they don't earnestly look like they would stop anyone who didn't want to get through. It wouldn't even have to take a Semi
or Pickup Truck to crash through those. It looks like any standard car could as well! (Not to mention if you weren't right in front of them, you
could drive right around them!)
To be honest, the way they are designed, it looks more like for the purpose of Traffic Control during Rush Hours. They are probably intended to be
used to relieve congestion on the On & Off Ramps at timed intervals...letting only 1-3 cars past at a time...or perhaps even to temporarily stop
traffic if there is an accident ahead, although you'd think in that later case they would just have digital signs to detour traffic.
So, I went to the
Virginia Department of Transportation Website and on the front-page they had
those gates displayed. They do proudly exclaim they are for Lane Reversal for Hurricane Evacuation and link to a video demonstrating a drill conducted
in 2008 showing their intended use.
VDOT Lane Reversal Exercise Video
Granted, the D.O.T. is a government agency that depends upon both Federal and State funding to do it's job, but I can't imagine them doing anything
nefarious or suspicious. For the fact that you don't see these gates installed anywhere else in the United States other than in the Hurricane
Corridor, it makes it difficult to believe that it is part of a Nationwide Initiative to enforce Martial Law.