The Illinois Department of Transportation is pursuing two pilot initiatives meant to reduce bridge strikes by large trucks.

Bridge strikes occur when truckers traverse under a span that is too short to accommodate the height of their vehicles.

One initiative, called “audible turn-by-turn navigation,” would enable IDOT to electronically share authorized route details through a cloud-based app that is compatible with mobile devices. Currently, drivers tend to read information on mobile phones or printed documents for route details. IDOT’s system would allow drivers to hear route instructions without having to glance away from the road.

The second initiative under development is the HawkScan oversize vehicle measurement system, which is stationed at the westbound Maryville weigh station on Interstate 70 and uses cameras and sensors to measure freight loads as trucks approach the scale. Measurements from the cameras and sensors are then used to verify permit details.
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