Truly some innovative ideas.
Congested areas on crash course to ease traffic; From deploying rescue crews to cranes, officials hatch new ideas
Larry Copeland
USA TODAY
July 20, 2007
Drivers frustrated by incidents that snarl rush-hour traffic -- broken-down cars, fender benders, a tire or ladder in the roadway -- are getting a break as states and cities launch aggressive campaigns to keep highways clear.
About one-fourth of all congestion on the nation's highways is related to incidents such as crashes, stalled or out-of-gas vehicles, or debris, says Jeffrey Paniati, assistant administrator for operations at the Federal Highway Administration (FHA). "Every time you have a lane blocked for one minute, it results in four minutes of delay," Paniati says.
The longer it takes to clear a wreck, the higher the risk of a "secondary crash," often caused by rubbernecking or frazzled drivers. These crashes account for about 15% of all accidents in metropolitan areas, Paniati says.
Where help is on the way:
*Oregon. The state Legislature passed a bill last month to require drivers in minor accidents to move their vehicles off the road or face a $180 fine. About half the states have similar "quick clearance" or "move it" laws. The Legislature also authorized state crews to immediately tow stalled or abandoned vehicles from the freeway shoulder. Previously, only vehicles left during rush hour could be towed right away; owners of other vehicles had to be given 24 hours' notice.
*Riverside County, Calif. Beginning next month, the county is adding two tow trucks on two of its busiest freeways: State Route 60 in Moreno Valley and Interstate 215 in Moreno Valley and Perris. The goal is to get broken-down or stalled vehicles off the freeway to prevent accidents or slowdowns.
*Houston. The city launched a program this month that is focused not on interstates but on major city roads. Members of the "Mobility Response Team," who are not police officers, will cruise roads on yellow Yamaha scooters looking for malfunctioning traffic signals, wrecks or construction that could cause slowdowns. They also can issue parking tickets and direct traffic around crashes.
*Indiana. Last month, the state Department of Transportation began installing about 40 signs that say "Fender Bender? Move Vehicles to Shoulder" along busy stretches of interstates around Indianapolis. The state's "Hoosiers Help" program has workers in vans cruise highways to help stranded motorists and remove road debris.
*Tennessee. The state Department of Safety operates 69 highway service trucks driven by certified first responders. They cruise interstates in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, providing gasoline to stranded motorists, directing traffic around wrecks and offering other services. In fiscal year 2006, the trucks responded to 10,534 accidents and 58,620 disabled vehicles.
