TxDOT to start using technology to avoid wrong-way crashes on Dallas highways

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — A spokesman with TXDOT tells CBS-11 that starting in the spring of 2024, the agency will use technology to detect wrong-way drivers in Dallas.

One location is along Central Expressway between Knox-Henderson and Woodall Rogers Freeway and the second is the Woodall Rogers Freeway, which is between Central Expressway and I-35E.

Tony Hartzel, Director of Northeast Texas Communications for TXDOT, said Friday they are still evaluating which technology to use. "We look at corridors where they may be more incidents and where there's been past incidents and so that's why we're looking at the U-S 75 Central Expressway corridor."

Funding for the program received approval in 2020.

Wrong-way crashes made headlines this week when 25-year-old Dallas police officer Jacob Arellano died in a wreck on Spur 408 near West Kiest Blvd. late at night while he was on his way to work.

Texas DPS is investigating another driver accused of driving the wrong way on the Dallas North Tollway early Friday morning.

DPS said a state trooper was alerted about the vehicle after NTTA'S wrong-way driver system detection system notified the toll road agency's operations center.

The trooper said the driver was going northbound in the southbound lanes near Harry Hines Blvd.

NTTA installed a thermal camera pilot program there two years ago to detect wrong-way drivers.

The thermal camera monitors traffic using heat emitted from a vehicle.

And when a vehicle goes the wrong way, signs flash, and NTTA's operations center gets notified.

Between January 1, 2020, and October 14, TXDOT records show there have been 17 deadly wrong-way crashes on highways in the city of Dallas within Dallas County.

During that same time and area, there have been a total of 603 deadly crashes overall.  

Hartzel said, "When there are wrong way crashes that do occur, they're usually pretty severe and unfortunately fatal on many occasions."

TXDOT Dallas is also reviewing its existing efforts to prevent wrong-way crashes on area highways. "So we wanted to look and make sure the signage was clear and consistent and that drivers had the information that they needed to understand that they would be going the wrong way," Hartzel said.     

TXDOT said it's checked nearly 300 intersections in Dallas County.

The agency said it's now reviewing intersections in Collin, Ellis, and Kaufman counties too.

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