State patrol tags I-90 speeders
Published 4:39 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
The need for speed nabbed dozens of drivers in a notoriously fast section of highway in the Snoqualmie Valley.
On July 11, Washington State Patrol troopers on the ground in marked and unmarked patrol cars teamed up with a state patrol aviation unit for a speed emphasis at the Preston “Dip” on Interstate 90 at mile post 23. A wide section of smooth highway in a straight, downhill stretch often entices would-be speeders to put pedal to metal, making the dip the fastest stretch of highway in Washington.
The two-hour emphasis stopped 28 speeders.
The average speed of those stopped was 90.5 mph in a 70 mph zone. The fastest speeds were posted by motorcycles (sport bikes) at 134 mph, 120 mph and 108 mph, respectively. Both of the first two motorcyclists stopped were arrested for reckless driving and booked into the King County jail. Two dump trucks were also stopped for exceeding the truck speed limit of 60 mph.
The Washington State Patrol will continue to utilize both ground and air resources to combat speeding and save lives in King County.
According to the Washing-
ton State Department of Transportation 2006 First Quarter Speed Report, I-90 at Preston tops the list for highest speeds in Washington. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration cites speeding as the most prevalent contributing factor in traffic crashes nationally. Motorcycle registrations in Washington state have increased 60 percent since 1999. Most motorcycle fatalities occur during daylight on dry roadways between April and September.
