Skip to main content

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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tackling speed enforcement with electronic vehicle recognition
    July 4, 2012
    An innovative electronic vehicle registration system is being rolled out across Bangkok in Thailand, with road safety and speed enforcement the principal aims Equipment contracts and partnerships relating to a system of electronic vehicle registration (EVR) have been forming in Bangkok over the past couple of years. EVR can be applied to tackle a broad range of problems for transport authorities, including tax evasion, crime and insurance fraud. For Thailand’s Department of Land Transport (DLT), its EVR sy
  • Fast and efficient barrier-free electronic toll collection
    May 21, 2012
    Canada’s 407 tolled highway allows non-stop travel and a fast and efficient way of paying for it. Ontario’s 407 ETR highway features one of the most advanced barrier-free and all- electronic toll collection systems in the world. The company that operates the road launched the latest phase of its strategy to provide end-to-end automation in summer 2011. A self-service website is now available, allowing users to view and pay charges online using technology supplied by the international market leaders in e-bil
  • Transport planning consultation is culturally important
    February 2, 2012
    Andrew Bardin Williams explores the efforts under way in North Dakota to consult with native tribes during the early stages of transportation project development. These efforts have led to the signing of a Programmatic Agreement between the state DOT and local tribes and the creation of a tribal consultation committee that allows Native Americans to advise on the identification, evaluation and treatment of historic properties, including those of religious and cultural significance
  • Dallas launches ICM program
    August 28, 2013
    Transportation officials in the Dallas area are to introduce an Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) along the 28-mile US 75 from the city to its northern suburbs. ICM works by collecting data about traffic conditions, then sending it through software that can analyse the data and help operators select the best strategies for managing it. A web interface ensures all the relevant agencies working on the corridor are aware of what is happening. Commuters will be advised of the situation via a new website