Arizona Department of Transportation

Wrong-way sign installed by ADOT.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is planning to expand its thermal camera system to detect wrong-way drivers.

The department has spent the past two years monitoring the effectiveness of its thermal camera systems on Interstate 17.

This first-of-its-kind technology is used to detect and respond to wrong-way drivers, according to engineer Dallas Hammit.

“So we can actually see real-time when the vehicle enters the ramp," said Hammit.  "And we know very quickly: did the vehicle continue on and enter the freeway, going the wrong way, or did it self-correct?”

ADOT says the program has been successful and the cameras are being expanded to Loop 101 and Loop 303.