SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Greene County Sheriff’s Office (GSCO) is cracking down on drivers speeding on U.S. 60.
On Wednesday, deputies watched for speeders east of U.S. 65 to Route 125. The speed enforcement event is funded by MODOT and all deputies can participate if they choose so. GSCO picks enforcement areas based on citizen complaints, wrecks, and reports of speeding.
“The speed limit through there is 60mph,” Deputy Paige Rippee said. “We would typically see 70-75mph. The ones we really want to get a citation for are those going over 80mph.”
Deputies had to respond to a crash during the event due to someone driving too fast. Two cars were involved and one person was hurt.
“It just so happened that this impaired driver came through there going well over 100mph,” Rippee said.
GCSO said the enforcement overall was impacted by the crash. Deputies did hand out several tickets, with some for speeds between 90-100mph. Businesses off of U.S. 60 say those numbers aren’t shocking.
“Traffic has definitely picked up,” Gordon’s manager Ben Pugh said. “People just get in a hurry trying to get home from work or trying to get to town.”
Pugh said he avoids the highway at all costs due to the amount of speeding. He’s even seen accidents happen as customers leave his parking lot to get onto U.S. 60.
“Sometimes it feels like a risk,” Pugh said. “There’s too much at stake and too many lives at stake.”
Pugh said having a law enforcement presence does slow down people, but he wishes drivers would leave earlier to avoid speeding.