A newly released study of the I-94 corridor between the Michigan/Indiana state line and Jackson County shows that accident rates are comparable to other highways in Michigan.

Snowy Highway
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The collaborative study was issued by the Michigan State Police (MSP), Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA). The study was requested by Sen. Margaret O'Brien and Gov. Rick Snyder following the Jan. 9, 2015, crashes on I-94.

The study covered more than 140 miles of I-94 between the Michigan/Indiana state line and Jackson County. It revealed the I-94 corridor experiences crashes at a comparable rate as other freeway corridors in Michigan.

The findings of this review indicated the study corridor, as a whole, experiences crashes at a rate that is comparable with other freeway corridors in Michigan. Like other corridors, specific influences of weather, atmospheric conditions, geometry, lighting, traffic volumes, driver behavior, and other factors result in above-average crash rates in specific areas. It is worth noting that the portion of the corridor where the 193-vehicle crash occurred in January 2015 is historically not an area with above-average crash occurrence.

The recommendations made in the study largely continue work already under way by state agencies. MSP will continue its heightened focus on enforcement, education and emergency responses, while MDOT will move ahead with several projects already planned along the I-94 corridor in the next five years to address pavement quality, communication with motorists, congestion and safety at targeted locations with high traffic and crash volumes.

Approximately 65 percent of the winter season crashes involved a vehicle driving "too fast for conditions," supporting the MSP findings from the Jan. 9 crash. A total of 58 drivers were cited for driving too fast for conditions, including 30 commercial drivers.

Source: Michigan Dept. of Transportation release

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