ADOT advances wrong-way detection with US$3.7 million project

A US$3.7 million project by Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to construct a thermal detection system to detect wrong-way vehicles and alert other drivers and law enforcement has been approved by the State Transportation Board. Once operational, the system will use thermal cameras, warning signs for wrong-way drivers and advisories for right-way drivers along a 15-mile stretch of I-17. In addition, the system will automatically focus highway cameras on the wrong-way vehicle and send automated aler
June 14, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
A US$3.7 million project by 6576 Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to construct a thermal detection system to detect wrong-way vehicles and alert other drivers and law enforcement has been approved by the State Transportation Board.


Once operational, the system will use thermal cameras, warning signs for wrong-way drivers and advisories for right-way drivers along a 15-mile stretch of I-17. In addition, the system will automatically focus highway cameras on the wrong-way vehicle and send automated alerts to the Highway Patrol.

On freeway ramps, wrong-way vehicles will trigger alerts, including illuminated signs with flashing lights, aimed at getting drivers to stop. The system will immediately warn other drivers through overhead message boards as well as law enforcement. Cameras in the area will automatically turn to face the wrong-way vehicle so traffic operators can better track it.

On the freeway, thermal cameras placed at one-mile intervals will signal when a wrong-way vehicle passes so State Troopers plan their response and get out in front of the wrong-way driver, providing a faster response.

Construction of the thermal camera pilot system is expected to begin this autumn and will take around seven months to complete.

Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision Urban Traffic Control Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • How on-board video systems can increase vehicle & road safety
    January 7, 2022
    Hikvision examines technology which can avert danger in cars, school buses, taxis and trucks
    Read More
  • Sony’s vision systems help limit risk in road tunnels
    November 10, 2017
    Sony’s Stephane Clauss looks at the imaging requirements in tunnels. In the event of a fire inside a tunnel, the dispersion of gases and heat is prevented, creating extreme temperatures that have led to many deaths. Following tragic incidents including Mont Blanc, European legislation requires longer tunnels to be fitted with incident and smoke detection systems.
    Read More
  • Migrating to advanced traffic management systems
    March 14, 2012
    Rich pickings of reduced cost and greater value are up for grabs as highway authorities migrate to new traffic management systems – if they choose their paths wisely. Jon Masters reports. Experience gained and expertise developed over the past decade are informing good advice for transport agencies contemplating new or expanded traffic management systems. Technological projects aimed at reducing road congestion may be frequently unique and invariably complex, but a picture is emerging of sensible, prudent a
    Read More
  • ITS need not reinvent machine vision
    October 29, 2014
    Machine vision techniques hold the potential to solve a multitude of challenges facing the transportation sector Optical Character Recognition (OCR), the base technology for number plate recognition, has been in industrial use for more than three decades. It is a prime example of how, instead of having to start from scratch, the transportation sector can leverage and adapt the machine vision expertise already used in industry in order to provide robust solutions with new capabilities. “The real val
    Read More

Highlighted Content