(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – TIM stands for Traffic Incident Management. Deaths and injuries to police and IDOT personnel have spurred the construction – with groundbreaking Wednesday – of a TIM Track at the Illinois State Police training facility at Pawnee.

“Every minute a lane is blocked, it creates four extra minutes of delay and increases the risk of those rear-end collisions,” said Illinois Department of Transportation secretary Gia Biagi. “This type of facility helps us scenario-build, helps us address those kinds of things. It’s a place of learning, It’s a place where we can make roads safer for everyone and save lives.”

The $14 million track will allow simulation of various conditions. “The track will include urban and rural intersections, a multi-lane interstate with a median crossover, on- and off-ramps, and other features that replicate our roadways,” said State Police director Brendan Kelly.

IDOT, local police, and tow operators will have access to the TIM Track once it’s complete a year from now.