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Show Hwy. 89 enforcement provides 'startling results,' officials say f f i" . t-. ;Lu J " ;:$.... -? J 1 " mill - wmmmmr $ Vf"- jsaKSSSSSBKsS 1 is & 1 '"!": -- ? . f .r - - . , : i .i speed limit," said Capt. Simpson. How long will the success of the enforcement program last? Capt. Simpson said another similar survey will be taken next month and compared to the results of July's survey. "Then we'll know just how successful we have been in getting the average speed lowered lo-wered and other safety features in effect because of our educational program," he said. Capt. Simpson noted that Highway High-way 89 was designed as a fast-moving fast-moving thoroughfare with no traffic traf-fic controls. But at that time, there were very few residential and commercial com-mercial developments along the highway. "Now there are commercial stores, gas stations and even a bank on both sides of the highway commonly referred to as the Mountain Moun-tain Road. In addition, there has been a tremendous residential growth of east Layton, Kaysville and Fruit Heights which has added several uncontrolled roads entering enter-ing the busy highway," Capt. Simpson explained. He noted there have been several sever-al fatal accidents and numerous serious se-rious injury accidents along the 15-mile 15-mile stretch, averaging two fatal accidents per year in recent years. This year there have already been two fatalities. Capt. Simpson said he and the UHP have been working with Fruit Heights city officials in conducting the survey which was asked for by Mayor Dean O. Brand. "We are working together on this project and will hopefully have some recommendations re-commendations for the Utah Department De-partment of Transportation that will improve this hazardous highway high-way condition." By GARY R. BLODGETT FRUIT HEIGHTS An educational educa-tional and enforcement program for motorists traveling U.S. Highway High-way between Fruit Heights and Ogden was conducted last month with some startling results. Capt. K. D. Simpson said the Davis County Sheriffs Department Depart-ment in cooperation with the Utah Highway Patrol conducted a month-long educational and enforcement en-forcement program which proved very successful because the "average "aver-age speed" of the 15-mile stretch of highway was reduced from 61.6 miles-per-hour to between 56 and 59 miles-per-hour. "We feel that the radar and traffic-control program conducted during July did a lot to educate motorists that many of them are traveling too fast and making improper im-proper left turns the two major traffic hazards of the four-lane highway," said Capt. Simpson. He emphasized that any program prog-ram that can cause the reduction of the average speed by two or three miles per hour is very successful. "We had days that the average speed was as low as 56 miles-per-hour." Capt. Simpson said that radar cars conducting speed checks were not in hiding in fact, the cars were parked in the median of the highway with dome emergency lights turned on. "But we still had those vehicles that would zoom past at speeds of more than 60 miles-per-hour, with" the highest being 99 miles-per-hour by a 17-year-old youth from Bountiful," Boun-tiful," said Capt. Simpson. When the two police agencies set out to conduct the month-long test it was determined that motorists traveling between 56 and 59 miles-per-hour would be stopped and the driver would receive a verbal warning and an explanation as to the tests being conducted. Vehicles traveling 60 to 64 miles-per-hour were stopped and the driver was issued a written warning; warn-ing; and motorists clocked at 65 mph or more were stopped and the driver was issued a speeding citation. cita-tion. As a result, Davis County Sheriff deputies issued a total of 536 citations cita-tions of which 352 were for speeding, speed-ing, 104 were given warning citations cita-tions and 18 were cited for other traffic violations. "This does not include numen-ous numen-ous verbal warnings and several citations for non-moving violations," viola-tions," said Capt. Simpson. "Also, there were six criminal arrests made as a result of the traffic traf-fic violations of which four were for possession of a controlled substance sub-stance and two were for alcohol violations." Lt. Gary Gunrud, Davis County commander of the Utah Highway Patrol, said officers of this department depart-ment reported 216 citations of which 1 1 1 citations were issued for speeding and 21 were given warning warn-ing citations. Three arrests were made for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Capt. Simpson emphasized that officers making a stop for either a warning or a citation took the time to explain to the occupants of the vehicle that Highway 89 was becoming be-coming known as Utah's new death strip and that the survey being conducted was an educational education-al program for motorists using the highway on almost a daily basis. Survey results showed that "a great majority of the motorists stopped, live in the area and many of them used the road to travel to and from work daily." In fact, two motorists stopped and cited for speeding on their way home, were also cited the same morning while on their way to work, Capt. Simpson Simp-son explained. Of the total citations issued for speeding, 115 were Ogden residents. resi-dents. Layton and Salt Lake City each had 50 citations, 25 were from Bountiful, 24 live in Kaysville and 10 were "home town" residents of Fruit Heights. Only 21 of the speeders during the entire month were from out of state, the survey report showed. "This shows that it's the local people and the commuters to and from Salt Lake City and Ogden that use the road on almost a daily basis. Many of these motorists are frequent violators and must be educated edu-cated to reduce their speed and to drive within the posted 55 mph Bountiful's Main Street has been folded, multilated and spindied in the past few months, but the portions where construction has been completed prove the Main Street beautification project was properly named. The trees being planted add a finishing touch to the overall appeal. |