Officials address overload of accidents on I-80

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (WKBN)- Another day, another crash along I-80 in Mercer County. That's the feeling from local fire departments, who say they're responding to multiple incidents every day along the interstate. Friday, First News talked with them about their message for drivers and checked in with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to see if any extra safety measures can make the road safer for drivers. It's becoming an all-too-common scene along Interstate 80 in Mercer County -- flashing lights and emergency crews responding to crashes in the work zone. "We have cut four people out of semi trucks through the windshield," said Shenango Township Fire Chief Justin Barnes. Officials say they've handled around 20 crashes in just the past two weeks, including a multi-car crash on Tuesday morning and a crash involving a semi truck Friday that shut down the interstate. "As we were still on scene of that crash, a crash with entrapment came in at the 1-mile marker eastbound in the normal flow of traffic area through the construction zone," Barnes said. Fire officials point to the construction zone. Narrow lanes and shifting traffic patterns are leaving little room for mistakes. PennDOT resumed work on a $115 million construction project to rebuild the first five miles of I-80, including both eastbound and westbound lanes. "We've had several crashes already at the interchanges. Especially westbound. They'll come down to a stop sign, and then at that point they've got to go straight across into the fast lane, and I think sometimes there's some misjudgment of how fast the vehicles are going down through there," Barnes said. With the limited space, enforcement is also a challenge, and when traffic backs up, drivers often spill over onto local roads. "Speed plays a big factor here with this. With the construction zone with the lane restrictions, it's very hard for the State Police to get out there and do any enforcement because there's no room for them to be safe," Barnes said. Officials say the solution is simple, even if drivers aren't following it. In the meantime, they're hoping to work with PennDOT to secure any additional signage and lighting to make the stretch safer for drivers. "The immediate fix is people need to slow down. Pay attention. They've added signage out there. I think we can maybe try to get some added lighting out there," Barnes said. As of right now, they haven't had to deal with any trickle-down accidents attributed to the backups or detours. PennDOT says they've noted crashes in the first five miles of the I-80, have made adjustments and continue to monitor the work zone The three-year project is expected to wrap up next year.