ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Attention drivers, if you've been out on Interstate 270 recently, you may have noticed an increase of police officers.
They're cracking down on what they're calling hazardous moving violations, like speeding and tailgating.
"So far, I haven't tested anybody that's actually doing the speed limit," said Lieutenant Tim Burger as he used a laser radar to crack down on drivers along I-270 in Hazelwood.
"The whole purpose is to put out a high visibility and get compliance," he explained.
Officers are primarily catching and stopping speeders going 80 and over in a 60 mph zone.
"Mike, 81 miles an hour, 1,186 feet, a silver Chevrolet underneath the bridge now, four-door," Lt. Burger said as he flagged down a speeding vehicle.
He's part of the I-270 Enforcement Group. It's made up of officers from Bridgeton, Florissant, Hazelwood, St. Louis County and Missouri State Highway Patrol.
"What we want to do is before this construction starts in the spring, we believe it's going to be sometime in April, we want to make an impact on I-270 to try and get people to slow down."
This construction project will be MoDOT's largest project within the last decade. It will affect drivers from Interstate 70 all the way to Bellefontaine Road.
"These guys and gals out here on the highway that are doing the construction work, they're in a bad situation. When you have cars that are doing 80, 90, 100 miles an hour, if there's an accident it could be horrendous for a lot of people involved."
Hazelwood police said since 2017 there have been more than 1,800 crashes in the area between Bridgeton, Hazelwood and Florissant. About 1,200 of them reported to have hazardous moving violations, like speeding and improper lane use, and 12 of them were fatal.
"When you drive, you don't always drive for yourself. You drive for others. You may not like it, but you have to. Can't always count on God and Jesus Christ," said driver Harold White.
MoDOT is holding a public hearing ahead of the construction project, and transportation leaders want your input.
The hearing will be held Thursday, March 12 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley campus.
Residents are asked to go to the student center multipurpose room.