West Side confronts speeders

SEATTLE – If you’re driving on Interstate 5 near Marysville and you see a road worker in a green tractor on the median, you may want to check your speedometer. The “road worker” may be part of a Washington State Patrol undercover speed trap.

In two hours Wednesday, about a dozen speeding drivers were pulled over at the speed trap in this area north of Marysville that has been ranked third by the state Transportation Department for the number of cars driving faster than 90 mph.

The undercover trooper clocked cars using a laser speed gun while nearby troopers ticketed offenders. One woman was caught going 97 mph and had been leaning into the passenger’s side of the car with only one hand on the steering wheel. She was cited for negligent driving, a $538 ticket.

Using data gathered by sensors in the road, the department compiles quarterly speed reports. The most recent report available showed that the top two areas for speeding are Interstate 90 near Preston in east King County and I-5 at Woodland near Vancouver, Wash.

Most drivers who are pulled over for speeding say they were in a hurry, Trooper Kirk Rudeen said.

“Things are so busy in today’s world, and so they’re trying to make up time on the road,” he said.

People driving more than 90 mph won’t have enough time to react to hazards. If they lose control at such high speeds, it’s often fatal, Rudeen said.