Detroit (DDN) – A Detroit City Councilwoman is looking at measures to prohibit wrong-way drivers from using freeway on- and off-ramps.
Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Waters has requested the city’s legislative policy office to propose “practical tools” that the local, state, and federal governments could use to reduce wrong-way driving.
In a memo dated Jan. 15, Waters also encouraged legislative analysts to collaborate with industry groups and scholars to identify tools and their costs. She also requested that the agency investigate existing legislation that would affect the installation of such technologies and any current plans for mitigating wrong-way drivers, including deadlines and potential financing sources.
Waters’ plea comes just days after a lady driving the wrong way on Interstate 96 in Detroit was killed when she collided with an SUV. She was driving in the westbound lanes of Interstate 96 around 3:15 a.m. on January 12. Six SUV occupants were also sent to local hospitals for treatment.
In mid-January, a wrong-way driver caused a head-on collision on West Long Lake Road in Troy, killing two people.
In 2023, a AAA safety expert told The News that 400 head-on crashes per year was a conservative estimate for all Michigan highways. According to him, age and intoxication frequently play a role in wrong-way driving.
Several roadways now have detection systems with flashing lights installed to prevent wrong-way drivers. The Michigan Department of Transportation collaborated with the Michigan State Police and the City of Grand Rapids to build a detection and warning system for wrong-way drivers on US-131 between Ann Street and M-11 in Grand Rapids.
To deter wrong-way drivers and prevent crashes, MDOT has updated pavement markings to provide greater assistance where on- and off-ramps are close. Other modifications include lowering “do not enter” signs to make them more visible when headlights beam on them and installing reflective tape.
Technology also enables officials to modify lit-up message boards over roadways to alert other cars to drivers heading the wrong way.
Reference: Detroit councilwoman seeks ways to prevent wrong-way crashes on highways
Leave a Reply