·15-mile section, from mile marker 127 near Ironto in Montgomery County to mile marker 142 near Salem in Roanoke County. First stretch of highway in Virginia to be designated for increased enforcement and fines under Highway Safety Corridor Program, a law passed by the General Assembly in 2003.

·Tickets for speeding could result in fines up to $500. Criminal offenses such as reckless driving or driving under the influence could result in fines up to $2,500.

·Section selected on the basis of:

o Crash frequency
o Overall vehicle crash rate
o Truck involved crash rate
o Enforcement considerations
o Roadway characteristics

·Crash frequency in this section, weighted by severity of crash, is at least 50% above the regional average for the years 2000-2002.

·Crash rate, considering traffic volume, is at least 25% above regional average. Truck involved crash rate exceeds overall crash rate for the region.

·This piece carries nearly 70,000 vehicles/day, more than any other section. Other roadway considerations include spacing of interchanges and impact of work zones.

Injuries:
2000 – 77
2001 – 48
2002 – 93

Crashes:
2000 – 138
2001 – 141
2002 – 177
This 15-mile section is 4.5% of I-81 but experienced 12.5% of all crashes.

Crash type:
30% hitting fixed object off the road
27% rear-end
15% same direction side-swipe
14% hitting deer/other animal
5% hitting fixed object in road

·Other sections of Virginia interstates could be designated safety enforcement zones later this year. The program eventually could include portions of primary roads (numbers 1-599) as well.

Page last modified: Jan. 8, 2004