LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — One woman is dead after a wrong-way crash near US-95 and Charleston Boulevard Friday morning.
It's the latest in several deadly wrong-way crashes in Las Vegas so far this year. According to Nevada State Police, there have been at least five in 2024.
It begs the question— why aren't there more wrong-way detection systems?
If you take a look at this map, you can see most of the systems are located in the northwest valley.
There are wrong-way detection systems at ramps:
- I-15 at Starr Ave
- U.S. 95 at Kyle Canyon Rd
- U.S 95 at Skye Canyon Dr
- U.S. 95 at Durango Dr
Although the easy answer would be to install more of them throughout the valley, it isn't that simple.
Nevada Department of Transportation said the systems are not only expensive, but the infrastructure to support the technology isn't readily available at many locations.
Each installation costs about $250,000 to $300,000 per ramp, according to NDOT.
"So, the four interchanges where those wrong-way driver systems are for the newest interchanges in the valley that had existing infrastructure that allowed for these systems to be installed," said NDOT public information officer Kelsey McFarland back in June.
She told us how the wrong-way systems work.
"The systems use radar and cameras to detect a wrong-way driver going onto an off-ramp of an interstate or freeway and it will start flashing lights," McFarland said.
She said a pilot system in Northern Nevada showed an 84% success rate.
More wrong-way alert systems are to be installed along US 95 from the Spaghetti Bowl to the Rainbow Curve. The project is expected to start by the end of the year.
