Traffic Citations Decline On Bigelow Gulch Road

The number of traffic stops along Bigelow Gulch Road decreased during the final three months of heightened patrols along one of the most dangerous stretches in the area, deputies said.

Between April and June, 25 traffic tickets were issued, including 17 to speeders. Five more motorists were arrested for various reasons.

Overall, 36 motorists were stopped for violations, said sheriff’s Cpl. Jim Speaks.

That’s down from 67 citations deputies issued from January to March.

“Much better,” Speaks said.

Several accidents, including one that killed two teenagers, prompted deputies to increase patrols along the north Valley stretch in January. The road is frequently used by motorists as a commuter route between the North Side and the Valley.

The county reported more than 175 accidents on Bigelow Gulch since 1991. Engineers estimate that more than 13,000 motorists travel the two-lane road daily.

During the final three months of the project, which concluded June 30, two motorists were clocked at 65 mph in the 45 mph zone, the fastest of those ticketed. The average speed of motorists who were ticketed was about 56 mph Speaks said.

During the first three months, a motorist was ticketed for zipping along at 81 mph.

“I think it’s been a success,” Speaks said. “It’s now basically up to the engineers to do some engineering features.”

, DataTimes