New Traffic Incident Management training facility breaks ground in Pawnee

PAWNEE - The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Police (ISP) broke ground today on a $14 million Traffic Incident Management training facility to provide law enforcement, emergency responders and highway maintainers with the latest skills and techniques to quickly and safely address crashes and other emergency situations. The new facility will allow training to be conducted in a controlled environment that mirrors actual conditions out in the field, helping to save the lives of people in distress while restoring normal traffic operations as quickly as possible.

"When there is an incident on the roads, every second counts," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. "We are proud to partner with the Illinois State Police on this new training facility that will give our workers the resources they need to keep everyone on the roads as safe as possible." ​

According to the Federal Highway Administration, nearly 13% of firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty are killed in vehicle-related incidents, with traffic incidents one of the leading causes of death for all emergency responders. Likewise, every minute a lane is blocked creates four extra minutes of delay and increases the risk of rear-end collisions. ​

"The new Traffic Incident Management facility will provide agencies a realistic environment in which to train, ensuring they know the safest and fastest ways to respond to crashes, criminal activity, and other roadway emergencies, helping to prevent secondary collisions and restore traffic flow quickly," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "This new facility represents our commitment to investing in the safety of drivers, law enforcement officers, highway workers, emergency responders, and the public."

The first in Illinois and only one of a handful nationwide, the new training facility will feature a test track that includes replica sections of two- and three-lane interstate highways, urban streets, rural highways, access ramps and multiple pavement types. In addition to training on handling crash scenes, coursework will include responding to hazardous material spills, traffic crash reconstruction and abandoned vehicles, with the goal of providing emergency responders with the latest information and best practices to improve efficiency and safety.

The track will be built as an addition to the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course at the Illinois State Police Training Facility in Pawnee.

As part of a partnership between the two agencies, IDOT is providing the funding to cover planning, design and construction, with ISP administering day-to-day management of the track after it's complete next summer. Once the facility is open, ISP will offer IDOT, local agency emergency responders, tow operators, and other incident response entities use of the track for training.

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