State Representative Joe Gresko, (D)
121st Connecticut House District
Dear Neighbors,
Crews will install wrong-way detection technology on Route 15 south at Exit 53 in Stratford. The work will take place from 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 22 until 5:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 23. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) says Exit 53 will be closed during that time frame, and there will be a detour at Exit 54 south in Stratford.
The detection system uses video cameras to locate vehicles that are traveling in the wrong direction. If the technology spots a vehicle, it activates wrong-way signs outlined with multiple sets of red lights and begins flashing to alert the driver. The system alerts the CTDOT Highway Operations Center and local State Police Troop barracks in real-time, allowing staff to monitor the activities of the wrong-way driver on the ramp.
According to the State of Connecticut Wrong Way Driving Program these are preventable deaths
“The safety of the public traveling our roadways is our top priority. One of the largest threats to that safety is wrong way crashes. When wrong way crashes happen, they are often fatal. In 2022, there were 13 wrong way crashes that resulted in 23 fatalities. In 2023, preliminary data shows there were five wrong way crashes that resulted in seven fatalities. And in almost every wrong way crash, the driver was found to be impaired by alcohol. To try to stop these crashes from happening, CTDOT has been installing wrong way driving countermeasures over the past two years.”
As always, if I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me directly.
Joe Gresko