Building a Safer System: Saving Lives Before a Crash Occurs: Recognizing National Safety Month

Safety is a top priority at THEA. While wrong-way driving crashes are rare, they often result in fatal outcomes. To help prevent these tragedies, THEA recently completed a systemwide initiative to deter wrong-way entries across the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway system.

By installing rectangular flashing beacons, in-pavement warning lighting, upgraded fiber communications, and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure, we are deploying advanced technology where it can have the greatest impact, helping prevent tragedies before they occur. 

This work carries deep meaning to our agency, following the loss of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy John Kotfila, Jr. in 2016, who prevented a wrong-way driver from harming others.

A System Built Where It Matters Most

Construction of THEA’s Wrong-Way Driving Vehicle Detection Countermeasures began in January 2025 and was completed in FY 2026 at 12 key locations across the Selmon Expressway system. 

How the System Works

Each technology component reinforces the others, creating a detection and alert network that gives drivers immediate, unmistakable warnings before a tragedy can occur.

  • Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RFBs): Positioned at exits to immediately alert drivers. 
  • In-Pavement Warning Lighting: Installed at all ramps for heightened visibility. 
  • Fiber Optic Infrastructure Upgrades: To ensure fast and reliable communication across the entire system. 
  • ITS Enhancements: New cabinets, Ethernet switches, and UPS systems for operational efficiency. 

A Commitment That Doesn’t End Here

The completion of this project is a milestone, but not a finish line. Part of THEA’s mission is to continuously invest in the technologies and infrastructure that keep Tampa Bay moving safely. These wrong-way driving countermeasures represent exactly the kind of proactive, forward-thinking work that defines modern expressway management: deploying advanced tools where they can have the greatest impact.

National Safety Month is a fitting time to reflect on investments like this. The wrong-way driving countermeasures now in place across the Selmon Expressway are the result of years of planning and a community commitment directed toward keeping our systems safe.