Gov. Beshear announces $5 million grant to prevent wrong-way crashes on interstates

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WBKO) - Gov. Andy Beshear has announced the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet received $5.14 million in grants to improve highway safety on interstates.

“Wrong-way driving is a major safety challenge, not only in Kentucky, but also throughout the United States,” said Beshear. “These funds will allow us to use innovative video technology to help monitor and bolster safety on corridors prone to these types of incidents.”

Kentucky’s Wrong Way Driving and Integrated Safety Technology System will use computing and video processing to implement a pilot program aimed at detecting and deterring wrong-way incidents by alerting the wrong-way driver, other drivers and emergency responders.

Additionally, the system will improve existing intelligent transportation systems to monitor and detect other safety concerns related to pedestrians, debris and halted vehicles on the roadway.

“Improving highway safety is a core focus of the Transportation Cabinet,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “These funds will allow the KYTC to utilize the latest in technological advancements to help prevent crashes, injuries and fatalities on our roadways.”

Plans for the Wrong Way Driving and Integrated Safety Technology system consist of four elements:
Detection System - Identifies wrong-way incidents and other safety concerns in real time
Deterrent System - Activates warnings designed to discourage the wrong-way drivers
Alert System - Notifies correct direction travelers and emergency responders
Mainline Monitoring System – Identifies mainline safety concerns (pedestrians, debris, disabled vehicles, etc.)

Between 2015 and 2020, there were 88 wrong-way driving crashes in Kentucky where a driver used an off-ramp in the wrong direction. These 88 crashes resulted in 16 fatalities and 27 serious injuries.

Funds were provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration as part of an Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment program.