KYTC bringing new technology to Louisville aimed at curbing wrong-way crashes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- In a 7-year span, there were nearly 200 wrong-way crashes on Kentucky interstates, and dozens of people were killed or seriously injured.

That's why the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet hopes a new technology it's testing will help save lives.

A wrong-way driver can change so many lives in an instant. In November, a crash on the Gene Snyder took the life of Jayniyah Pullen, a 20-year-old UofL nursing student.

The crash is just one of many wrong-way crashes on Kentucky interstates. To change the trend, KYTC testing starts this weekend on new wrong-way driver technology in Lexington.

"With the goal of getting all of our Kentucky families home safely, so of course safety is our top priority," Morgan Woodrum, spokesperson for KYTC's 5th District, said.

After the testing period, it will then be deployed on Louisville interstates.

This is how it works: When a car is detected driving onto the off-ramp, it will set off a deterrent system. That will include flashing wrong-way signs and real-time, system-generated alerts.

"And this technology will also actually alert other drivers and first responders," said Woodrum.

Farther down the road, more drivers will be alerted to use extreme caution when a wrong-way driver is detected.

"The detection and deterrent technology will be installed at off-ramps in the wrong direction," Woodrum said. "With the goal of capturing the wrong-way driver's attention before making it onto the mainline of the interstate."

KYTC said the technology will be installed at more than 50 off-ramps in Louisville and monitor 32 miles of interstate.

The sections of interstate the agency chose include: The Watterson Expressway, from Interstate 64 to Interstate 65; I-64 from the Ohio River to Pee Wee Reese Road; I-65 from the Ohio to Outer Loop.

"The locations for the project were actually based on crash history and it was at the time of the grant submission," said Woodrum.

Kentucky received a more than $5 million federal grant to improve highway safety. From 2015 to 2023, 55 people were killed and 76 were seriously injured in 191 wrong-way crashes across the state.

The new technology will be unveiled in Louisville sometime in 2025, but an exact date has yet to be determined.