NEWINGTON, Conn. — State transportation workers installed wrong-way detection systems in Wethersfield overnight Monday in the first step of a new law targeting wrong-way drivers.
Crews will be in Southington, East Hartford, and Windsor later this week.
Combatting the problem of wrong-way drivers on Connecticut highways was a priority for the General Assembly at the start of the session after lawmakers lost one of their own, Rep. Quintin Williams, in a wrong-way crash.
Now, transportation officials are hitting the ground installing wrong-way detection systems across Connecticut after a law went into effect Sunday that allocated an additional $20 million for the effort.
“We’re installing wrong-way signs with flashers—red flashes—on our ramps," said Josh Morgan, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT). "Also, pilot technology, some of these new signs we’re rolling out will alert the State Police, the nearest barracks, to dispatch them to try to intercept a wrong-way driver before they crash.”
Overnight into Wednesday morning, crews are planning to install new technology at Southington’s Queen Street off-ramp that will notify Connecticut State Police if someone enters the highway in the wrong direction.
The night before crews installed a detection system at ramps on Interstate 91 South and Route 3 in Wethersfield. Work continues this week on Thursday at HOV Ramps on Route 218 in Windsor and Interstate 84 in East Hartford.
“Some of this work involves trenching the roadway, trenching the side of the road to get power to the signs, to the traffic control box,” Morgan said.
West Hartford resident Aphrodite Altman said she avoids state roads at night, if at all possible.
“When I’m on the highway, I stay on the right-hand side because you have all your SUVs, your trucks,” Altman said. “It’s not how you drive. You have to watch out how the other people drive, and I instill that in my kids.”
DOT officials have already upgraded 16 ramps across Connecticut with wrong-way detection systems with $20 million set aside last June. Three ramps are under construction this week, but that’s a small fraction of the 236 ramps the department has designated high-risk.
“They’re near bars, restaurants, hotels, places that are serving alcohol because virtually all wrong-way drivers are found to be impaired by alcohol when the reports are completed,” Morgan said.
The department is planning to use its own crews and contractors to complete more ramps in the weeks, and months ahead.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
---
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.