Local

Green Tree police use new technology to reduce traffic jams on Parkway West

PITTSBURGH — The morning rush hour was jammed on the Parkway West Friday morning because of a multi-vehicle accident. But the traffic may have been worse if it wasn’t for new technology used by the Green Tree police department.

The three car accident happened around 8:30 a.m. Police said it appears that the driver of a Jeep hit one car, which then hit another. All three lanes were closed, with traffic passing by on the shoulders.

While there were significant delays, police on scene used a new LED board on their patrol cars to direct traffic.

“People were coming up the Parkway. They could see it at a good distance, and they were merging well before the accident scene,” chief Bob Downey said.

Downey said the board, which is the only one in Western Pa., uses arrows and one of ten programmed messages to scroll across the screen.

“From what I saw, it helped tremendously,” said Downey.

Two minor injuries were reported.