UHP's I-15 'blitz' is just the ticket

AMERICAN FORK — The stretch of I-15 from Lehi to Provo is not the Autobahn.

That's the message Utah Highway Patrol troopers sent Monday morning during a catch-a-speedster "blitz" in Utah County.

Police say about half of the drivers on the road follow the speed limit. The others, however, were being chased by troopers as the sun crested Mount Timpanogos.

Fourteen troopers went out on UHP's third I-15 blitz from 7 a.m. to noon. They stopped 138 vehicles, said UHP Sgt. Hoby Metz — that's almost one every two minutes. "It went well," he said.

A federal grant awarded to the UHP and designated for freeway safety was dedicated to catching folks who just can't drive 65 mph — the posted speed limit for that stretch of road.

And lead-foot drivers beware: the UHP will be back out for the fourth blitz in April.

The money from the tickets goes to the courts in the jurisdiction where the tickets are given, so the highway patrol does not benefit monetarily from the pullovers.

But Metz and other officers are satisfied with the thought of safer roads.

"We try to get out there in forcec" he said. "It impacts the view of all motorists. Everyone knows what the speed limit is."

The fastest vehicle caught Monday was a motorcycle going 115 mph. The driver received a reckless driving citation.

Speeds over 100 mph are more common in the early hours of the morning, Metz said. One of his troopers clocked three vehicles at over 100 mph between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. last week.

The UHP handed out 116 speeding tickets, most for motorists driving 80 mph or more, Monday morning. Officers also wrote seven warnings for speeding and four citations and two warnings for following another vehicle too closely.

Troopers also assisted with six vehicles that had mechanical problems, Metz said.

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E-mail: utahcounty@desnews.com