LOCAL SPEED CONTROL

One of the most dangerous intersections in Cape Girardeau County is the I-55 interchange at Highways 61-34. The highway that goes under the interstate is a busy stretch that connects Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Because of the design of the interchanges, motorists going to or from the interstate and Highways 61-34 must cross lanes of traffic at odd angles and with limited visibility.

A grant from both the Missouri Division of Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is funding an effort by the police departments in Cape Girardeau and Jackson to enforce the speed limit.

Here is an example of highway speed enforcement that reinforces the idea that local government can control local situations better than the federal government.

While speed enforcement in this particular area will remind motorists of the potential danger, the real need in this case is for improvements in the design of the interchange. Traffic signals, for example, would have more of an impact on how fast motorist drive there than patrolling by police.