Huckleberries Online

Could I-90 Deaths Been Prevented?

Posted by DFO

Dec. 17, 2009 9:08 a.m. • 11 comments

The SUV barreled across the grassy median and into oncoming traffic just west of the Seltice overpass. At that spot there is no barrier to keep cars from driving into oncoming traffic. If the crash had happened just six miles to the west in Washington, a cable median divides east and west bound lanes and would have helped prevent the SUV from crossing the centerline. … The cable barriers were installed on a seven mile stretch of Interstate 90 from Sullivan Road to the Idaho state line back in 2004. In the 4 years before installation there were six crossover crashes on that stretch of freeway. In the years since there have been none though on 93 separate occasions vehicles have been stopped from crossing over by the cable barrier/Sally Showman, KXLY. More here.

Question: Is it time to install some sort of median to prevent out-of-control vehicles from crashing head-on into others on the opposite side of the freeway through Post Falls?

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

moscow_minidoka on December 17 at 9:19 a.m.
Yes, and also on I-84 in southern Idaho.
Sam_Crawford on December 17 at 9:26 a.m.
I agree with moscow_minidoka. The cable barriers in Washington seem to work and are probably the least expensive way to prevent needless head-on collisions.
BigMac on December 17 at 9:33 a.m.
They’re relatively inexpensive, and they seem to work. Go for it.
Phaedrus on December 17 at 9:39 a.m.
Past due, but good luck getting any $$ from IDOT for this life saving equipment. I fear a significant portion of their funding will be going to Pam Lowe instead (and deservedly so).
shellzbellz on December 17 at 9:51 a.m.
Hey if it is something that can prevent a head on then why aren’t they installed throughout the whole interstate? Just sayin!
JaneQC on December 17 at 10:02 a.m.
The cables cost $100,000 per mile to install. Why?
But to the question of could this accident have been prevented, absolutely. There was an icy rain falling on already slick roads. I’m sure the driver’s speed will be determined by ISP and likely will be the major factor in the accident. Slow down people.
JIMMYMAC on December 17 at 10:13 a.m.
My wife almost got hit when someone crossed the same median in that same spot about 4 years ago. She still talks about it when we drive by that spot if it’s snowing out.
Matthew_Behringer on December 17 at 11:49 a.m.
One word:YES
hhuseland on December 17 at 12:30 p.m.
Way past time. It would seem that life saving is not a high priority for the state transportation department. Another example of many lives lost due to the state, are the drainage swales along the freeways. Sure they provide a place for drain water, but at the price of causing fatal rollovers. Just drive Hwy 95 fro Athol to Cda and count the roadside crosses, many of which are in or about the swales.
kamm on December 17 at 3:47 p.m.
Areas needing little or no grading are much less expensive.

The benefit/cost analysis shoud include the cost of maintaining the lives of severly injured victims. When the Insurance runs out—the citizens pay for the continued care through Medicaid ( increased taxes ) or higher Insurance coverage and hospital costs.
BayviewBob on December 17 at 7:56 p.m.
There is no such thing as a unsafe road, only unsafe drivers!

Hell, lets go 70 miles an hour in freezing rain and blame it on the road!

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.