Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 29, 1995 TAG: 9508290025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Earlier this year, the Police Department used $4,600 in grant money to buy alcohol-level testing equipment and to increase enforcement of driving-under-the-influence laws.
During the first eight months of 1995, police officers issued more than 1,500 traffic citations, including 174 as a direct result of traffic crashes.
"There have been over 400 accidents reported to police during the same period, and we are trying to slow people down and make the streets safer for the motoring public," said Capt. Walter Mosby, commander of the department's police operations division.
Mosby said speed enforcement will be stepped up at eight town locations: South Main Street, Prices Fork Road, McBryde Drive, Stonegate Drive, Palmer Drive, Happy Hollow Road, Huntington Lane and Tall Oaks Drive.
Another six locations have been targeted for stop-sign and traffic-signal monitoring: Prices Fork Road at West Campus Drive, Stonegate Drive at Kabrich Street, Park Drive at Highland Circle, Prices Fork Road at Main Street, Hethwood Boulevard at Tall Oaks Drive, and Toms Creek Road at Prices Ford Road. Other intersections may be added.
Officers working selective enforcement details will be driving marked patrol cars, and the hours of enforcement will vary.
"The objective is voluntary compliance with traffic laws, not a large volume of tickets," Mosby said. "When people are able to see a police officer in a marked unit, they are more apt to slow down and think about driving safely and within the law, at least for a short period."
The grant money was received from the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
by CNB