What is the Wrong Way Task Force?
Reducing the Number of Wrong Way Accidents
In early 2020, Westchester County Executive, George Latimer, and the County Administration established the Wrong Way Task Force. The task force was created to review the conditions on the Bronx River Parkway and to make suggestions to reduce the number of wrong way driver accidents. At that time, there were 12 incidents of wrong way drivers reported in 2019 and 2020.
The task force, made up of elected officials and citizen-commuters, reviewed the exit and entrance ramps as well as signage, lighting, and traffic signals. The findings and accomplishments of the task force were released this week.
What Will Change?
Requested was the installation of over 160 new signs signaling Do Not Enter, Wrong Way, No Left Turn, One Way and Parkway Entrance. The task force also suggested additional street lighting and explored the implementation of real-time notifications via video technology for errant drivers.
All of these findings will be passed along to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) for possible use on New York State parkways. While the Bronx River Parkway is owned by the County of Westchester, the NYSDOT has control over state parkways such as the Hutchinson River Parkway, the Taconic State Parkway, and the Saw Mill River Parkway. All of these parkways have had more than their share of wrong-way-driver accidents and can benefit from this extensive review.
