LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — New expertise is coming to some Arkansas highways between Little Rock and Memphis — It is coming within the type of a $55 million venture aimed toward bettering driver security and stopping head-on collisions.
In case you’ve ever taken a improper activate a one-way road, you know the way scary and harmful it may be. Properly, a brand new improper course detection system goals to stop this and cease potential accidents.
“The digicam goes off and the individual is alerted many occasions. They will self-correct. You see them in a video, they’re going to come again and no matter. However typically they do not. And so one time is likely to be too many,”, mentioned Dave Parker with ARDOT.
“The lights will exit. The driving force is alerted that approach, which alerts to us right here at our visitors administration middle observe has been detected there. We instantly contact the Arkansas State Police,” he added.
Parker mentioned it is a joint effort with authorities to get drivers’ consideration in the event that they’ve made a improper activate an exit ramp. He additionally defined the way it’s one thing that occurs extra typically than you’d suppose, particularly at Interstate 440 and Freeway 165.
“We did a take a look at in August and had 5 wrong-way detections in a month, which can not sound like a lot, however any improper approach is unhealthy sufficient,” he mentioned.
Parker mentioned 21 of these incidents had been recorded in ARDOT’s newest statewide wrong-way detection report.
“It might have occurred 5 occasions with individuals going the improper approach, but it surely’s not recorded as a result of there wasn’t an accident, you understand, concerned in it. So yeah, I imply, it is a nationwide downside. That is why I discovered her on the radar. ,” he added.
If individuals do not self-correct and preserve going the improper approach on the freeway, then the state police will work to seek out that driver.
Individuals touring close by may also see alerts on interstate message boards to maintain an eye fixed out as properly.
“We do not need something to occur there. In order that’s why we’re putting in them,” he mentioned.
Parker mentioned crews will set up 10 of the techniques at a time and count on all 161 to be accomplished by August 2025.
You will discover them alongside I-40 from Little Rock heading east towards Memphis.