Teresa Krenning, P.E.

St. Louis District

National RankWWD Fatal Crashes

State Average Frequency Percent of U.S. Total

Texas 38 14%

California 26 10%

Florida 21 8%

Pennsylvania 11 4%

Missouri 10 4%

Mississippi 9 3%

WWD National Findings

• Obviously a more severe crash type• 57% Urban• Over 2/3 occur at night• 58% Impaired Driver• Younger drivers (<65) more likely impaired

• Male drivers twice as likely as a female driver• Older drivers are overrepresented• Interchange Types (exit ramps)• Partial Clover• Diamond (esp. when closely spaced outer roads are present)

WWD Crashes on Missouri Interstates 2009-2013

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total

Alcohol and/or Drugs

Involved

Fatal 3 6 5 10 6 30 18Disabling Injury 7 5 6 6 4 28 16Minor Injury 7 7 9 11 5 39 22PDO 18 17 16 7 9 67 24Total 35 35 36 34 24 164 8038 of the crashes were during daylight, 85 were at dark, and 1 was indeterminate

WWD Crashes on Missouri Interstates2009-2013

Age Unknown# Wrong

Way Drivers # Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers # Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers#

Impaired

# Wrong Way

Drivers

Fatal 4 3 5 3 3 1 5 5 0 0 1 1 4 2 1 0 7 1 0Disabling Injury 2 1 4 2 4 4 4 3 2 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 10 4 0Minor Injury 3 3 7 5 2 1 4 2 2 0 2 1 3 2 2 1 8 2 6PDO 5 1 9 8 5 3 6 5 1 0 5 1 5 2 4 2 20 1 7Total 14 8 25 18 14 9 19 15 5 2 8 3 15 7 7 3 45 8 13

Total Wrong Way Drivers 165Total Impaired 73

51-55 >=56Wrong Way Drivers Involved by Age

16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50

Challenges

• Where are the High Risk Locations

• How Do You Get Attention of Drivers

• Staying MUTCD Compliant

Spike Strips – Not MUTCD Compliant

• Determining Points of Entry

• Lots and Lots of Ramps

High Risk Locations - Partial Clover

High Risk Locations - Diamond

Getting Drivers Attention

MUTCD Compliance

STRATEGIESExisting Standards

Geometric Improvements

• Separate Entrance & Exit Ramps• Install Raised Curb Median• Install Longitudinal Channelizers• Change Ramp Geometrics (Less Inviting):

Obtuse Angle Sharp Corner Radii

Signing

• Implement Standard Sign Package• Signs are in Place and Visible• Double Up of “WRONG WAY” and “DO NOT

ENTER” Signs

• Additional Measures (Supplemental): Reflective Tape on Sign Posts Increase Size of Signs (Oversize) Lower Sign Heights Add Freeway Entrance Sign (D13-3a)

Pavement Marking

• STOP Lines• Paint Arrows on Ramps• Turn/Through-Lane-Only Arrow• Red Raised Pavement Markers• Paint Short Dashed Lane Delineation Through

Turns

Combo Strategies

Combo Strategies

Emerging Strategies

Lower Warning Signs

Picture from TxDOT

Dynamic Warning Systems - ITS Technologies

PILOT WWD PROJECTSt. Louis

Pilot Project – data analysis

• Wrong Way Crash data reviewed for 2009-2013

• Crash locations plotted• Law Enforcement

counseled on where drivers were entering the freeway

• I-44 Corridor selected

• 2007-2013 crashes reviewed

• 5 fatal• 4 disabling injury• 7 minor injury• 9 property damage only• 22 crashes at night• Possibly 3 out of the 25

involved drug and alcohol

Pilot Project – Site Conditions

Pilot Project – Site Conditions

Pilot Project – Scoping & Site Designs

• Specific field conditions reviewed:• Limited sight distance• Utility issues• Existing signing• Retaining walls

• Project funding availability• Sequential ramps or close proximity desired

Pilot Project – Final Ramp Selections

• Eastbound:• Off Ramp to Hampton Ave, Exit 286• Off Ramp to Lafayette Ave, Exit 290B• Off Ramp to S. Jefferson Ave, Exit 289

• Westbound:• Off Ramp to Arsenal St., Exit 284B• Off Ramp to Grand/Louisiana, Exit 288• Off Ramp to Hampton Ave, Exit 286• Off Ramp to S. Jefferson Ave, Exit 289• Off Ramp to Vandeventer Ave, Exit 287B

Pilot Project – Dynamic Warning System

• Flashing LED signs• solar-powered• radar activated• 2 yr BlinkLink™

webbased traffic device monitor and control through TAPCO

Pilot Project – Installation Testing

jefferson_EB.MTS

Pilot Project – Early Results

• System activated November 2014• 3 Wrong Way Drivers confirmed• No documented crashes linked to these 3

confirmed Wrong Way drivers• Too early to tell if it works

SAN ANTONIO PILOT PROJECT

San Antonio Pilot ProjectITS Technologies

• LED Illuminated Signs• Use Dynamic Signs to Warn Other Drivers• Use Existing GPS Navigation Technologies to

Provide Alerts to Driver• Provide Alerts to Law Enforcement• Use Consistent and Intuitive Messages

Picture from TxDOT

Does It Work?Freeway Wrong-Way Detection in San Antonio• Combine with Ramp Systems (Flashing Signs)• Utilize ITS Efforts to Provide Driver Alerts on

DMS• Alerts Law Enforcement• TxDOT is Seeing a 29% Reduction from San

Antonio Pilot Project Since July 2012

QUESTIONS ?

www.tapconet.com

When all else fails…