Some Loops Not in The Loop

     Washington, D.C. - They are called loops because of their circular shape.  Loops are intended to relay daily traffic information and long-term maintenance needs of some of the nations most heavily traveled roadways.  As of November 2013 9,000 loops are not in service.  Information from loops relays the estimated travel times posted on freeway message boards.  A circular cut in a lane means a loop is probably embedded in the lane and is watching traffic.  On surface streets the maintenance costs are in the hundreds.  On freeways the costs rocket to the thousands of dollars.  Loops can last decades when properly installed.  Construction mishaps that cut the loop, copper wire thieves, and old age can cause outages that delay the real-time traffic maps, that are useful to the public.  See also, www.roadandtrack.com.