Labor Day holiday drivers will see messages directed at raising safety awareness on Redwood Hwy. 199 during one of the busiest travel holidays of the year.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, since January first of 2019, there have been 190 crashes on Highway 199, including 5 fatalities since June first.
Many of the worst crashes on Hwy 199 have been caused by some kind of driver error, or failing to follow the rules of the road. Drivers should stick to the posted speeds, keep a cautious following distance, and never drive distracted or intoxicated.
Five message boards, already in operation, will be lit along the U.S. 199 corridor between Grants Pass and the Oregon border encouraging drivers to be aware of their safety on the highway.
“We’re calling on drivers to be alert, drive sober and follow the speed limits,” said ODOT Southwest Region Manager Frank Reading. “One crash, one fatality is one too many.”
The short term campaign kicked off with the public safety messaging and will roll into a long term highway corridor planning effort next year. The U.S. 199 Corridor Plan will help map projects in the corridor for the future. A stakeholder advisory committee will also be formed which will help with the long term plan.
