The Ohio Department of Transportation is trying to put the brakes on wrong-way crashes.
In 2017, ODOT statistics show there were 25 wrong-way accidents in Ohio.
In 2016, there were 30 wrong-way crashes.
Several of those crashes happened in the Cleveland area, specifically the West Shoreway.
ODOT is piloting a wrong-way driver detection system on the State Route 2 westbound exit ramp to West 28th Street.
There have been several wrong-way crashes in the area over the past several years. Drivers have got on the highway from the West 28th Street exit ramp.
“They very rarely happen in the same place twice,” said Amanda McFarland with ODOT.
That’s why the location was chosen for the pilot project.
The first wrong-way detection system is located in Columbus.
“I do know the one in Columbus is on 670 and I do know they’ve had alerts of vehicles going the wrong way,” said Sgt Scott Powers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The system being installed at the westbound exit ramp from the West Shoreway includes a camera, wrong way signs that light up and a notification system.
When a wrong-way driver is detected the signs flash, the camera is activated and a time stamp picture of the vehicle is taken, sending it and a notification to police.
The system is expected to be up and running by the end of November.
