In response to a recent increase in wrong-way crashes along Phoenix’s Interstate 17 Freeway, the State Transportation Board agreed upon a $3.7 million project to build and implement a thermal detection system that will identify wrong-way drivers on the highway.
The project, which will apply to a 15-mile stretch along Interstate 17, was approved to begin construction in Fall of this year. The estimated timeline for the project is seven months. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey encouraged the Arizona Department of Transportation to move quickly in its preparation and building as wrong-way crashes have become more common within the state.
The initial installation area will stretch from Interstate 10 to Loop 101. This first foray into thermal detection will act as an experiment for the city, and the success or failure of this project may greatly dictate the future direction of thermal detection in highway safety moving forward.
The system will work through the triggering of alerts (such as illuminated signs and flashing lights) meant to notify both the individuals driving the wrong way, as well as those drivers who are obeying traffic laws and driving in the correct direction.
The state of Arizona obviously wants to limit these sorts of accidents, but until now complications had arisen whenever tangible preventative measures were discussed. Governor Ducey said that Arizona had been researching the actions taken by other states as a means of assisting in making an effective decision moving forward.
One figure that stood out to Ducey, especially, was that in wrong-way driving cases, nearly 80% of the instances were the direct result of a driver’s severe impairment. In those cases, many possible solutions are thrown out the window and more complex thinking and problem solving is required.
While it has yet to be seen how well the $3.7 million thermal detection system will prevent these devastating accidents moving forward, the proactive measures taken by Phoenix and the state of Arizona are highly encouraging in the meantime.
