ODOT funding OSP overtime to curb crashes
Oregon State Police said Thursday it recently received grant funding from the Oregon Department of Transportation for overtime enforcement on selected state highways to curb often tragic “roadway departure crashes.”
A “roadway departure crash” is defined as a non-intersection crash which occurs after a vehicle crosses an edge line or a center line, or otherwise leaves the traveled portion of the roadway.
Examples include crashing head-on, sideswiping another vehicle, and traveling off the highway and rolling over or colliding with a fixed object.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, roadway departure crashes account for 53 percent of all fatal traffic crashes. In Oregon, these types of crashes account for approximately 66 percent of all fatalities.
ODOT awarded OSP grant funds to provide over 1,600 hours of overtime enforcement through the end of September .
ODOT spokesman Peter Murphy said out of the OSP’s Bend office, that equates to 318 hours of overtime for OSP troopers, or just over $21,000.
The goal is to help lower these types of crashes in specific highway locations identified as some of the worst areas in the state.
ODOT identified the highway locations following a review of crash analysis data that pointed at crash types, causes, dates, day(s) of week, and time periods. The enforcement strategy is in addition to ODOT engineering work that is also helping reduce these crash types in the selected areas.
Specific locations for increased OSP enforcement include:
* Highway 26 (east of Sandy) milepost 28 – 37 and milepost 45 – 55 (OSP Portland / Government Camp)
* Highway 101 (Bay City south of Tillamook) milepost 61 – 67 and 76 – 81 (OSP Tillamook)
* Highway 6 (east of Tillamook) milepost 10 – 16 (OSP Tillamook)
* Highway 6 (west of Banks) milepost 30 – 36 (OSP North Plains)
* Highway 26 (east of Seaside) milepost 10 – 15 and milepost 20 – 26 (OSP Astoria)
* Highway 101 (between Depoe Bay and Newport) milepost 127 – 133 (OSP Newport)
* Highway 101 (south of Newport) milepost 148 – 154 (OSP Newport)
* Highway 18 (east of Highway 101) milepost 0 – 10 (OSP Newport)
* Highway 20 (east of Newport) milepost 0 – 5 (OSP Newport)
* Highway 34 (east of Waldport) milepost 0 – 5 (OSP Newport)
* Highway 42 (west of Winston) milepost 75 – 77 (OSP Roseburg)
* Highway 38 (east of Coos Bay) milepost 0 – 10 (OSP Coos Bay)
* Highway 199 (north of Cave Junction) milepost 14 – 24 (OSP Grants Pass)
* Interstate 5 (north of Grants Pass) milepost 70 – 80 (OSP Central Point / Grants Pass)
* Highway 97 (north of Bend) milepost 128 – 133 (OSP Bend)
* Highway 97 (south of Bend) milepost 143 – 158 (OSP Bend / La Pine)
* Highway 20 (west of Sisters) milepost 92 – 97 (OSP Bend)
* Highway 26 (west of Madras) milepost 107 – 112 (OSP Bend / Madras)
OSP enforcement will target contributing factor traffic violations that data shows are associated with roadway departure crashes such as speed, failure to maintain a traffic lane, failure to drive on right side of highway, distracted driving, and DUII.
To learn more about roadway departure crashes and locations in Oregon, visit http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/TRAFFIC-ROADWAY/pages/roadway_departure.aspx .
