Highway 520 drivers feel pinch of Patrol

Highway 520 through Redmond is attracting increased attention from the Washington State Patrol as troopers try to reduce a nearly daily incidence of accidents on the Eastside roadway.

The latest enforcement effort took place over the weekend, when troopers set up a special emphasis effort for three hours at Northeast 51st Street.

During that time, 65 drivers were stopped for speeding and 64 were cited, reported Trooper Jeff Merrill, Patrol public-information officer. In addition, 17 drivers were cited for aggressive driving, four for not wearing seat belts, three were arrested for driving with suspended licenses and two were arrested for outstanding warrants.

The troopers recorded some staggering speeds from a monitoring position on the Northeast 51st Street overpass — one vehicle was clocked at 106 mph and another was tracked at 102 mph. The speed limit is 60 mph. With more than six weeks left in the year, the Patrol in 2007 already has investigated 367 reported collisions on Highway 520 between its east end at Highway 202 and its junction with Interstate 405.