Politics & Government
Rt. 30 Update: A Look at Traffic Tickets in the Construction Zone
As roadwork begins again on the thoroughfare, Patch looks at the number of speeding and cell phone-use citations issued in the construction zone since the beginning of the year.
When it comes to the unseen forces of nature that control the behavior of motorists, there's a good rule of thumb that goes: The better the weather, the faster the driver.
This has certainly held true for drivers along construction-laden U.S. Route 30 since the beginning of 2012. officers have issued 109 speeding tickets from Jan. 1 to April 25, with the totals being larger during this year's very mild February and in April, according to police records.
READ: Check Out the U.S. Route 30 Construction Section for Coverage of the Project
Find out what's happening in Frankfortwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"Tickets increase every month as the weather gets better," said Cmdr. Kevin Keegan, adding that the lack of road work being done during that time also contributes to the bump.
, stretches through the Lincoln-Way communities and runs from Harlem Avenue to Wolf Road in Frankfort. . With the new speed limit comes increased fines for speeding. A first offense will cost a driver a minimum of $250, and a second offense will be a minimum of $750. Cell phone use also is not allowed in the construction zone.
Find out what's happening in Frankfortwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Here's a look at the tickets issued month by month in 2012 in Frankfort's Route 30 construction zone:
Speeding Cell Phone Use January 14 3 February 29 3 March 27 0 April (through April 25) 37 1 TOTAL 109 7
Compare that to the tickets issued by the New Lenox Police Department in that community's Route 30 construction zone, which runs from William Street to Joliet Highway, during the same time period:
Despite the construction and speed limit changes, the department hasn't needed to increase patrols along Route 30, Keegan said. Public awareness about the reduced speed limit and cell phone-use restrictions in the construction zone also has helped when it comes to driver compliance, he added.
Construction on the Route 30 project, which began in May 2011, has already resumed again this year, said Assistant Village Administrator Rob Piscia. The closing of the entrance of Locust Street at Route 30 is one of the most visible signs right now, and it will remain that way for the next three to six weeks, Piscia said. Also, drivers can expect lane shifts along Route 30 in the upcoming weeks, he added.
Stay connected with Frankfort Patch in more ways than one:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
