11/3/2015
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Road Warriors, Road Angels common sight on Treasure Valley freeway last 20 years
BOISE - Most people know the story by now: a small plane makes an emergency landing on the freeway in east Boise Oct. 13. The incident made national news.
Easing safety concerns and resuming traffic flow on I-84 were paramount in the aftermath of the freeway landing. Idaho Transportation Department’s Incident Response is one of the primary units to accomplish that goal. They are very good at it — they’ve been doing it for 20 years.
The public may call them Road Angels. To the police, they are often Road Warriors. Either way, their value is undeniable.
Incident Response has benefited both law enforcement and the driving public since ITD launched the pilot program in November 1995 to improve safety and facilitate traffic flow on the interstates near Boise.
Driving in the Treasure Valley has only gotten
more challenging in the last two decades. The number of vehicles on I-84
between Nampa and Boise has doubled. The price of gas has doubled or
tripled, depending on the month. The price of car insurance has
skyrocketed as well.
“Ensuring the safety of the scene, and providing an alert to drivers of impending traffic changes, are two of our main functions,” said ITD Incident Response driver Nick Jones, who has been with the program since Feb. 2004. “We change the dynamics of traffic flow.”
Legions of thankful drivers, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders can attest to their worth.
“The locals really know who we are,” said Jones. “I've never seen anyone who wasn't really glad to see us.”
During peak commuting hours, Monday through Friday, Incident Response patrols 30 miles from the Franklin/U.S. 20-26 (milepost 29) to Eisenman (milepost 59) interchanges, and the Connector from the Flying Wye to 13th Street.
The service averages about 17 minutes to clear each incident, from the time
Incident Response is dispatched to the scene by ISP until the assistance
has been given. The three drivers routinely put 120,000 miles or more
per year on the odometer of each of the three trucks.
The Incident Response team provides a valuable service to commuters by reducing congestion through responding to crashes, disabled vehicles and other issues that impede traffic, reducing emissions from idling vehicles, and reducing secondary crashes that occur when traffic backs up. The Incident Response technicians also support emergency responders, such as law enforcement and ambulance staff.
The Incident Response unit is vital to traffic flow and safety, said Idaho State Police Capt. William Gardiner. Click here for a picture of the Incident Response service assisting ISP at the scene.
“Because of the dangers of the job, troopers are frequently exposed to high traffic volumes and vulnerable to hazardous drivers,” Gardiner said. “While investigating crashes or conducting other police business, the extra measure of safety provided by ITD’s Incident Response gives every trooper on scene an added level of safety and protection.”
At some time, almost all drivers have experienced a flat tire, needed a push in the right direction, run out of gas, have had an engine overheat, or were involved in or are on the scene of a fender-bender. The Incident Response team will change that flat, jump-start that car, refill that radiator, provide a gallon of gas to that stranded motorist, or offer use of a cell phone. Incident Response does not tow, but will push or pull a vehicle to a safer spot on the highway shoulder.
Any incident that clogs the roadway has the potential to create secondary crashes. But the quicker the original incident is cleared, the less time motorists and response personnel are exposed to hazards and the possibility of secondary collisions.
“We try to assist in all incident details — from first contact to ensuring scene safety, requesting or cancelling resources, relaying reports to the drivers involved, assisting fire, ambulance and towing — to create a seamless force that efficiently clears whatever incident is affecting our roads,” Jones explained.
Nationally, the Transportation Institute estimated the cost of congestion at $269 million in the Boise metro area.
Click here for an audio sound bite of Capt. Gardiner reflecting on the value of the program.
“They are quick, reliable and always go out of their way to assist whenever called upon.
“The program shows great interagency cooperation as both agencies attempt to reach a common goal. It has become an integral part of traffic highway safety in Idaho.”