OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Overland Park Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol plan to increase enforcement along a stretch of I-435 following a report released on Monday showing a number of recent speeding citations.
During a two-to-three hour period over the weekend, Overland Park police and KHP officers pulled over 66 cars for speeding and issued 67 citations.
Officers kept a close watch on the area of I-435 between U.S. 69 and Metcalf Avenue, which is currently the site of a repavement project.
In total this year, officers have stopped 187 cars for speeding and issued 222 citations in the construction zone.
“The amount of speeding has certainly increased over the years,” explained Detective Steve Parker, a member of the Overland Park Police Department for over 20 years. “In today’s world, we’ve made everything else more important than the driving that we’re doing at the particular point in time.”
During the most recent enforcement period, police said drivers cited for speeding drove at an average of 83 miles per hour, 18 miles per hour over the speed limit.
One driver was pulled over after going 99 miles per hour through the area.
“This is not a NASCAR racetrack,” Det. Parker explained. “The average driver is not capable of handling those speeds.”
As a way to combat speeding, police plan to increase enforcement along I-435 during the spring and summer.
Detective Parker told 41 Action News that the Overland Park Police Department also plans to use more motorcycle units with radar near the interstate.
“We’re going to step up our efforts especially as the spring moves in,” he explained. “Traffic enforcement is going to pick along I-435 the more the construction sticks around.”
The repavement project happening right now along I-435 in Overland Park is expected to be completed by mid-November.
Before the completion of the work, Overland Park police and KHP plan to hold several more enforcement periods on I-435.
