The Cleveland area has numerous highways and surface streets that allow for efficient motor vehicle traffic. The infrastructure established to allow for individual transportation requires regular maintenance and improvements. Occasionally, major highways have significant construction projects that affect public safety. There are currently projects underway on three of the most-used freeways in the Greater Cleveland area, and that construction work puts everyone at risk of a crash.
For example, I-480 is currently undergoing massive resurfacing efforts in Cleveland, as well as bridge repairs that should continue into the early fall. Resurfacing efforts and work on entrance ramps accessing I-271 have led to lane closures and detours. I-90 is the location of a bright deck replacement that has completely re-routed certain lanes of traffic.
How does highway construction temporarily increase collision risk?
Issues with zipper merging
Best practices during lane closures on the highway typically involve completing a zipper merge. Motorists proceed in the lane subject to closure until they reach signage indicating they must merge. At that point, they enter open lanes of traffic. Unfortunately, people struggle with zipper merge procedures. Some people merge too early, causing traffic backups. Others don’t want to let others in when the zipper merge is necessary, causing traffic congestion or sometimes collisions.
Concerns about rubbernecking
Major construction projects with active workers on site can be a distracting sight on the road. Some drivers can’t help but slow down and stare at the heavy machinery helping resurface or otherwise improve nearby roads. Unfortunately, people distracted by construction projects may fail to notice other vehicles stopped ahead of them or could end up rear-ended by drivers not paying attention to their surroundings.
Heavy traffic levels
Construction projects tend to slow down the flow of traffic, which leads to more vehicles in close proximity to one another on busy roads and highways. The more vehicles there are in close trucks the greater the possibility of drivers losing control or failing to monitor their surroundings and causing a crash. Slower overall speeds may also result in some drivers behaving erratically or becoming aggressive in traffic.
Motorists traveling on I-90, I-480 or I-271 may be at elevated risk of a collision with another car or even a commercial vehicle due to road work in Cleveland this summer. Adjusting personal habits by slowing down can make a major difference for those worried about crash risk caused by construction on the highways around Cleveland.