RALEIGH — As holiday travel picks up, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) is highlighting the safety benefits on the Triangle Expressway and Monroe Expressway while reminding drivers to practice safe driving habits.
“Delivering safe travel options for our drivers is the reason we get up in the morning,” said Dennis Jernigan, Interim Chief Engineer of the NC Turnpike Authority. “We are asking all North Carolinians to drive with safety in mind as we work together to make North Carolina roads among the safest in the country.”
NCTA has designed its roadways and operations with safety as a top priority. These designs and modifications on both Triangle Expressway and Monroe Expressway include:
- Wide shoulders to provide drivers with ample room to pull their vehicles off the road if an emergency occurs
- Clear mile marker signage every 2/10 of a mile so drivers can more accurately report their location in an emergency
- Highway lighting and interchange lighting along the Triangle Expressway to help increase visibility for drivers
- On-call maintenance crews remove debris from both roadways when necessary
- Wrong-Way Vehicle Detection Systems:
- Notifications to State Traffic Operations Center operators when a wrong-way vehicle is detected
- Flashing red lights on wrong way signs that illuminate when a vehicle is detected
- Enhancements to intersections associated with two off-ramps, modifications to traffic signals, and lane striping
- A partnership with State Highway Patrol to allow monitoring to ensure motorists are following traffic laws and to respond quickly to roadway incidents
- Incident Management Assistance Patrol trucks that are equipped with specialized tools to assist stranded motorists or first responders
Drivers can sign up for an NC Quick Pass transponder that can be used on all toll facilities in North Carolina and saves travelers up to 35% compared to Bill by Mail rates.
For driving safety tips review the DMV Driver Handbook starting at page 38.