U.S. Highway 97, which runs from Weed, California, to the Canadian border, carves through some of Washington’s most remote landscape. Yet, because of a high volume of vehicles and local farming activity, the highway around Toppenish and Union Gap is one of the state’s most dangerous stretches of road. More than 430 serious injuries and 24 fatalities occurred here in the past 20 years due to factors including weather, speeding, distracted driving and pedestrians along the highway shoulder.
The Yakama Nation Department of Natural Resources is working with researchers at the UW Smart Transportation Applications & Research (STAR) Lab and AIWaysion, a UW spinoff company, to study the deadliest intersections with the help of Mobile Unit for Sensing Traffic sensors. The project, funded by the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium, sends real-time information like vehicle volume and speed, weather conditions and the presence of pedestrians. For certain events, it can send out a warning and alert traffic engineers. The sensor could also clarify the need for more emergency services and inform traffic safety measures.
The state is planning on installing several roundabouts along Highway 97 this year.