SCRANTON -- PennDOT in the northeast region of our area plans to make changes to exit ramps along Interstates 81, 80, and 84 to help alert drivers who get on the ramps the wrong way.
The project announcement comes after a Newswatch 16 special assignment report this month about the problem of wrong-way drivers, but PennDOT insists it was in the making long before our special report.
PennDOT says the project to combat wrong-way drivers has been in the works for two years. Starting this summer, a contractor will work on ramps including one along Moosic Street in Scranton.
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Wrong-way drivers have led to six crashes, with nine dead on the interstate since October of 2015. State police say one of the six wrong-way drivers who have crashed on the interstate since October got on the highway at the ramp at Moosic Street.
Though timely, PennDOT says the new wrong-way driver project has been in the works for a long time.
"When we applied for this money two years ago, we obviously hadn't had the number of wrong-way crashes like we've had recently but the timing right now is very good because we'll be able to use this money to make some improvements on one of the issues that's really come to the forefront in this area," said PennDOT official James May.
Starting this summer, a contractor will upgrade signs and markings on nearly 50 off-ramps in the northeast. "Wrong way" signs will be doubled up, and they will have more reflectors. Additional markings will be painted on the road and reflective markers will be added on the side of the lanes.
While PennDOT says all of its off ramps do comply with federal law, they're not uniform.
Other folks have been saying the words "wrong-way driver" a lot too. Though there is increased awareness, drivers were split on whether PennDOT's plan would work.
"I think that's what's going on, I think that's what's causing it, that there's not enough on the roads, especially at night. They're dark and I think it's easy to be done, especially on 81 some of those on ramps and off ramps on 81, I think it's easy to get on 81 the wrong way," said Jane Shields of Scranton.
"I don't think it's going to help because people are people and people don't pay attention half the time. And you could put up flashing signs, whatever you want. I don't think it's going to help," said Charlie Toloczko of Wilkes-Barre.
The additional wrong-way signs are part of a larger safety project it will cost close to $800,000 in federal money.
The work on the ramps is expected to start in July.
