FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 16, 2006

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8409

 

NEW RADAR EQUIPMENT HELPS SCHP STRENGTHEN

ENFORCEMENT IN MEDIAN BARRIER ZONES

 

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Highway Patrol announces that it has been awarded a grant that will enhance troopers’ enforcement capabilities surrounding cable and concrete median barriers in 13 counties.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded a $127,250 grant to SCDPS to purchase radars to address speed-related collisions on the interstate systems where median barriers are present. The grant period runs from June 1 to September 30 this year.

 

A group of 73 troopers will be designated to work as a specialized median barrier enforcement team. Each will be outfitted with a dual antenna radar, which allows troopers to identify speeding vehicles approaching the trooper’s vehicle from behind or meeting the trooper’s vehicle from the front.

 

The grant allows for the purchase of 73 additional dual antenna radars and seven LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) devices.

 

“People have developed a false sense that if they see a median barrier, that’s a license to speed,” said Highway Patrol Col. Russell F. Roark. “Now, more than ever, people should be on alert to increased enforcement activity in those areas.”

 

The first cable median barriers were installed on South Carolina interstates in January 2001. There are 442 miles of interstate with cable barriers. According to the SC Department of Transportation, while the total number of interstate collisions has increased since median barriers were installed, fatal median crossover collisions have dropped from 27 in 2000 to four in 2005.

 

The Highway Patrol will develop its enforcement plans based on collision and fatality data from each Troop in the area where median barriers are present.

 

The counties of concentration include Richland and Lexington (I-26, I-20 and I-77); Laurens County (I-26 and I-385);  Anderson (I-85); Greenville (I-85 and I-385); Spartanburg (I-85 and I-26); York (I-77); Darlington (I-20); Florence (I-20 and I-95); Berkeley (I-26); Charleston (I-26); Aiken (I-20); and Orangeburg (I-26).

 

Information regarding Median Cable Barriers provided by the South Carolina Department of Transportation:

 

Interstate Cable Barriers

 

The first interstate cable barrier in South Carolina was accepted by the South Carolina Department of Transportation on January 17, 2001.  Following is a summary of the effectiveness of these safety devices. 

 

 

                                          Interstate Crossover Fatalities