Showing posts with label washington state patrol. Show all posts

Keeping Drivers Safe: Innovative state partnership wins national safety award

Posted by Unknown in , , , , , on Wednesday, November 13, 2013

By guest blogger Alice Fiman

AIRS system displays the results of each vehicle's scan.
As one of the most trade-dependent states in the nation, Washington has many big trucks traveling its highways.

In early November, the Roadway Safety Foundation and the Federal Highway Administration honored our agency along with the Washington State Patrol for our joint project developing a new way to get big trucks with unsafe brakes off the road.

It was close to three years ago when our Commercial Vehicle Services and Statewide Transportation and Collision Data Office joined forces with WSP to develop the automated infrared roadside screening (AIRS).

AIRS was first deployed at the northbound Interstate 5 DuPont weigh station.  Based on this success, we are scheduled to install the system at all 11 of Washington’s interstate weigh stations and ports of entry. 


WSDOT project team: Left to right: Ken Lakey STCDO,
Vic Bagnell CVS, Rich Rackleff STCDO,
and Nghia  Chau, STCDO
 AIRS starts when an infrared camera, buried in the center of the off-ramp lane, scans and analyzes the undercarriage of a vehicle entering a weigh station. A WSP Commercial Vehicle Officer can then see a display of each vehicle’s scan. Hot or warm brakes show up a reddish color, with colder brakes in blue. Good working brakes show signs of heat so, in this case, red is good. WSP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement staff use the information to determine if the vehicle needs closer inspection.

During software testing, WSP took a total of 12 trucks out of service over a two-day period. One of those trucks was leaking brake fluid, another had brake drums that were full of rust, one had a flat tire and still another had a brake air can coming off. 

Why an emphasis on the big trucks? Well, first, because these trucks can be pretty big, there can be more damage and longer traffic delays during a collision. Plus, we have a joint operating agreement with WSP and we often work together in many ways. It’s all about keeping drivers safe and traffic moving.

Specifically in the area of weigh stations, WSP operates all Washington’s weigh stations and ports of entry, while we provide the technical support, such as the computer systems AIRS.

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Procession route for fallen trooper on March 1

Posted by Unknown in , , on Wednesday, February 29, 2012


We wanted to give you a heads up about a large procession Thursday morning to honor fallen Washington State Patrol Trooper Tony Radulescu. The first procession of Trooper Radulescu’s colleagues will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Kitsap Mall in Silverdale. Two other processions will join them and law enforcement officials estimate there could be up to 2,000 vehicles. They’re scheduled to begin arriving at the ShoWare Center in Kent beginning at 11:15.

The following is an excerpt from a press release provided by the Washington State Patrol and can also be viewed on their website. 

The procession will be led by Trooper Radulescu’s colleagues from the local State Patrol district office, followed by other law enforcement and emergency services personnel from Kitsap and neighboring counties.

The route will move onto SR 3 and then travel through the city of Port Orchard where Tony worked and lived.

The initial route is expected to be:
  • Exit Kitsap Mall to SR 3;
  • Southbound SR 3 to Gorst/SR 16 Interchange;
  • Exit to Bay Street (SR 166) just south of Gorst;
  • Travel through the City of Port Orchard along Bay Street;
  • Turn left on  Port Orchard Boulevard;
  • Right onto Tremont Street West and back onto SR 16. 
The procession will continue on SR 16 eastbound to I-5 and south to SR 512. They will meet up with additional law enforcement personnel staged just off 112th St. on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) property.

The route for the family procession will leave Mountain View Funeral Home on Steilacoom Blvd, Lakewood at approximately 10:30 a.m. They will rendezvous with those staged at JBLM on SR 512 and proceed to the ShoWare Center in Kent and arrive at approximately 11:15 a.m.

The final leg of the procession route;
  • Leave Mountain View Funeral Home onto Steilacoom Boulevard.
  • Right on South Tacoma Way
  • Left on SR 512 East 
  • To SR 167 North
  • Exit  onto SR 516  to West Willis Street
  • Left onto 4th Ave. south
  • Left onto West James Street
  • Arrive at front of ShoWare Center on West James Street.
There will be no procession following the service.

For the public’s safety, please do not to stop on I-5, SR 512 or SR 167 during the procession.   


     

    All on- and off-ramps to and from State Route 512 in Pierce County will be closed during the procession.

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