|
|  |
 Printer Friendly
 Text Version  Email Page
| MDOT Freeway Courtesy Patrol assists over 35,000 stranded Metro Detroit motorists in 2007
Contact:
Bill Shreck, MDOT Director of Communications, 517-335-3084
Agency:
Transportation
|
June 5, 2008 -- According to a new report, the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Freeway Courtesy Patrol assisted over 35,000 stranded motorists on 12 Metro Detroit freeways in 2007. The report, issued by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), says a benefit of $15.90 was realized for each dollar spent on the Freeway Courtesy Patrol in 2007. Additionally, the Courtesy Patrol saved commuters an estimated 11.7 million hours of delay last year.
The Courtesy Patrol made 51,554 stops on freeways in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties: sixty-eight percent (35,421) involved assisting stranded motorists, while 14,188 involved attending to unoccupied vehicles and 1,945 involved moving debris off the roadway. On average, it took Courtesy Patrol drivers less than 15 minutes to clear an incident. Most of the stranded-motorist stops involved mechanical problems (10,774); flat tires (9,287); running out of gas (6,900) and assistance with traffic accidents (2,655).
"MDOT's Freeway Courtesy Patrol is yet another way we are working to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Assisting stranded motorists helps the person whose car has broken down, as well as the other drivers on the road. By keeping highways clear of breakdowns, we are relieving congestion, creating a safer traffic environment and helping to reduce fuel emissions."
The Courtesy Patrol fleet operates 24 vans to provide free assistance to stranded motorists, locate and mark unoccupied vehicles, and move debris off roadways. Established in 1994, the Courtesy Patrol receives funds from MDOT through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration. MDOT administers the program as part of its freeway incident management program out of its Michigan Intelligent Transportation Systems (MITS) Center in Detroit.
Courtesy Patrol sponsors include SEMCOG and the Michigan State Police. The Courtesy Patrol is operated by AAA Michigan and Emergency Road Response for MDOT. Additional information is available on the MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/MDOT.
The MDOT Freeway Courtesy Patrol in Southeast Michigan: 2007 Evaluation Report is available in PDF form on SEMCOG's Web site at www.semcog.org. (See the Report section on the home page.)
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45! -A message from MDOT and Michigan's Give 'em a Brake Safety Coalition
|
|
|
|
