Remaining Emergency Call Boxes along Expressways

[talllguy]

When I was a child and cellular telephones were not yet in widespread use, I remember seeing roadside emergency call boxes at predictable intervals along Maryland's highways. In the past twenty or so years, nearly all have been removed. Where are they still installed today in your area?

Here is one in particular on I-83 in Baltimore that still stands. I would not be surprised if it did not function. Maryland SHA HQ is the larger building in the background, ironically (because SHA is generally good at keeping the road up to date).


GSV of the above

Additionally I have always wondered about how these work specifically. Would it just ring 911? A call center? Would they get your precise location?

Thanks!

[Pink Jazz]

Arizona still has a few of these on rural highways with poor mobile coverage.  There are still several on US 93 between Wickenburg and I-40.  You won't find any on urban freeways in Arizona anymore. 

The Baltimore example is a bit surprising considering it is an urban area.

[roadfro]

Nevada actually installed a bunch along I-15 between Las Vegas and the California state line in the mid-2000s. The rationale was that, at the time, cell phones were not as ubiquitous as they are now. Out there, it is roughly 12 miles between exits, which might as well be forever in the hot summer desert afternoon. California had had their system on the other side of the line for years, and the tourists who broke down out there often asked why Nevada didn't have call boxes.

The only other place I know that Nevada has any call boxes, is one set on US 50 a few miles west of Carson City heading up to Lake Tahoe - this is adjacent to a runaway truck ramp. I don't think I've seen any others.

[Zzonkmiles]

I thought Florida had call boxes at every mile marker on the interstates. Were those removed?

[realjd]

I thought Florida had call boxes at every mile marker on the interstates. Were those removed?

Yep, they were almost all removed a few years ago. A few stretches like Alligator Alley and some longer bridges still have them. They basically weren't used anymore.

Additionally I have always wondered about how these work specifically. Would it just ring 911? A call center? Would they get your precise location?

The ones in Florida had a few buttons for things like medical, tow truck, police, etc. My understanding is that it would activate a radio beacon and FHP would get a notification that a specific button was pushed at a specific call box.

[jeffandnicole]

We actually had this conversation just last year: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13249.0

[PHLBOS]

Aside from construction/work zones, the PA Turnpike still has them at every mile.