PennDOT tests wrong-way driver detection system on Route 28

PennDOT rolled out new technology on Wednesday designed to stop wrong-way drivers on Route 28.

"We've identified the 28 corridor as where we think this innovative technology can have the most immediate and most positive impact," said Steve Sneddon, a PennDOT District 11 construction engineer.

Thermal cameras detect vehicles, even in low visibility, and sensors track the driver's direction. If the driver is going the wrong way, signals are sent instantly through a cellular network, triggering flashing signs and alerting traffic control.

The system covers every ramp along Route 28 from Harmar to Anderson Street, where the highway ends near the North Shore, for a total of 23 ramps. Crews spent Wednesday testing the system with brief ramp closures to make sure everything went off without a hitch.

"Everything is working well, surprisingly well," Sneddon said. "It's working the way we'd hoped."  

Engineers say this is just the beginning, as future upgrades could go even further by alerting oncoming drivers to a wrong-way vehicle heading toward them.

Meanwhile, PennDOT will evaluate the results of the Route 28 system before deciding where this new technology goes next.

"This is the first large-scale implementation in the state and the district," Sneddon said. "We will be deploying this in a handful of other locations in the near future."

Once testing is complete, this system will be up and running, monitoring ramps 24/7.