Recent data from the Texas Department of Transportation indicates new road signage has decreased the number of wrong way related accidents along a stretch of Highway US 281.

"The recent data indicates that the number of wrong way driver incidents has decreased by 30 percent along highway 281 between downtown and Loop 1604," said Laura Lopez, Public Information Officer for TxDOT.

In addition to improving safety and saving lives, Lopez said the report also indicates a savings in taxpayer dollars.

"The annual cost of wrong way driver crashes along the corridor is around $849,000, while the signage system has cost the city around $500 thousand dollars," said Lopez. "So, we're seeing that savings."

TxDOT plans to further decrease the number of wrong way accidents around the city by installing more LED illuminated wrong way signs on two other major highways that go through San Antonio.

"We are looking at placing those LED signs along Interstate 35 between Loop 1604 and Schertz in a project we have right now," said Lopez, "as well as a project that we have on Interstate 10 that will be starting up again from Huebner to 1604."

TxDOT is set to also install a number of radar detectors in addition to the LED signs, which are designed to notify TxDOT and the San Antonio Police Department when a wrong way driver is detected on an exit ramp through sensors.

By: Marissa A. Wagner
Thursday, March 7, 2013
5:23 p.m.

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