The Ohio Department of Transportationis testing new technology aimed at stopping wrong-way crashes on the highway. Signs and detectors are being installed along an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 71 near Cincinnati.
ODOT spokesman Matt Bruning said the goal is to prevent wrong-way crashes.
“While they are extremely rare, they are usually very serious crashes that happen. So we know they are 40 times more likely to be deadly than other types of crashes,” he said.
Bruning said the $1.2 million system includes 82 detection devices at 23 locations, including the on and off ramps. When drivers attempt to drive the wrong way there, they will see red lights and a message on a sign alerting them.
If they proceed, the sensors will alert law enforcement immediately. Bruning said technology will be monitored for effectiveness, and if it is successful, it could be implemented throughout the state in the future.
