The Arizona Department of Transportation says it's going to try using some red lights along Interstate 17 on-ramps in Phoenix as part of its system to provide alerts about wrong-way vehicles on the freeway.
ADOT said Wednesday its pilot program to combat wrong-way driving means drivers used to seeing metered lights showing red for only a few seconds will hold on red for longer periods if there's a wrong-way vehicle ahead on the freeway.
The system uses 90 thermal camera-based technology to detect wrong-way vehicles along 15 miles (24 kilometers) of I-17. The system then provides alerts to ADOT personnel, state troopers and the traveling public.
ADOT systems technology group manager Susan Anderson says the lights on I-17's entrance ramps are traffic signals that drivers should heed.
