In the past few months, there have been four accidents on the Dallas North Tollway resulting from drivers going the wrong way. It’s a troubling trend we’ve been following here on our blog. But it now seems a solution may be on the horizon. The North Texas Tollway Authority is forming a new task force that will focus on reducing wrong-way driving.
One idea on the table is installing special sensors that detect wrong-way driving. Those sensors can send out an alert to drivers via overhead signs, as seen here in this photo.
These signs—which run about $25,000 a piece—are being used in Houston along its Westpark Tollway. And so far, they’re working: The signs have helped police stop ten wrong-way drivers, and there haven’t been any deadly accidents.
Like a lot of you, I travel the Dallas North Tollway regularly because it cuts through our neighborhood–so this wrong-way driving trend is especially troubling for me. I am, however, encouraged that the NTTA is finally responding to the problem. I’m not entirely sure what the solution is, but I think we’d all agree that something needs to be done.
The NTTA will have a public announcement on its plan of attack in about month, and I’ll keep you posted.
