• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Logo

Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • About
  • Join Listserv
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Work Zone Data
    • At a Glance
    • National & State Traffic Data
    • Work Zone Traffic Crash Trends and Statistics
    • Worker Fatalities and Injuries at Road Construction Sites
  • Topics of Interest
    • Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety
    • Smart Work Zones
    • Transportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Worker Safety and Welfare
    • Project Coordination in Work Zones
  • Training
    • Flagger
    • Online Courses
    • Toolboxes
    • FHWA Safety Grant Products
    • Certification and
      Accreditation
  • Work Zone Devices
  • Laws, Standards & Policies
    • COVID-19 Guidance
  • Public Awareness
  • Events
  • About
  • Listserv
  • Contact
  • Search
Publication

ODOT Launches New Freeway Patrol to Combat Congestion

Abstract:

Delaware – Stuck in traffic’ Stalled on the side of the road’ The Ohio Department of Transportation is launching a new freeway service patrol that could be instrumental in getting you and thousands of Columbus-area motorists moving. On Tuesday, ODOT will launch FIRST, the Freeway Incident Response Service Team – the first of its kind in central Ohio. ODOT officials hope crews will be first on the scene, helping police and emergency crews remove stalled vehicles, accidents and spills from the interstate more quickly. More than 50 percent of congestion in urban areas is caused by such incidents, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The FIRST team consists of four trucks that will patrol Interstate 270 and interstates 670, 71 and 70 within the outerbelt, as well as State Route 315. ODOT will run two shifts each weekday, providing service from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Crews may also work weekends during special events. The program is estimated to cost about $575,000 annually. FIRST’s primary focus will be detecting and responding to minor incidents, such as property damage accidents, flat tires, stalled cars and debris in the roadway.

Publisher: Ohio Department of Transportation
Publication Date: June 15, 2001
Notes:

The Clearinghouse has a copy of this item.

Publication Types: News Releases
Topics: Incident Management; Law Enforcement; Traffic Congestion; Urban Highways

Copyright © 2023 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute