Drivers finally slowing down in dangerous stretch of I-5 in Tacoma

After nabbing dozens of drivers for speeding in a problematic stretch of I-5 in Tacoma, it seems as though people are finally slowing down.

RELATED: Troopers nab another 19 drivers speeding in I-5 stretch
RELATED: I-5 speed limit lowered in Tacoma after slew of crashes

According to data recently Tweeted out by Washington State Trooper Johnna Batiste, April 2019 saw just 72 collisions investigated under a recently lowered speed limit in a work zone. That was down from March’s total of 136 investigated collisions, and significantly under the 170 total in April 2018.

That drop in collisions has coincided with a marked increase in contacted speeders: Under the new speed limit in April, troopers contacted 316 drivers for speeding, up from March’s 252 drivers, and April 2018’s 231.

The speed limit in that stretch of I-5 was recently adjusted from 60 to 50 miles per hour after eight semi crashes since September. Those incidents have been happening in the construction zone that starts in Fife and stretches south of the Tacoma Dome.

“It’s a collision-prone area in general. It encompasses two active construction zones. We’re not only concerned about the collisions in general, but the safety of the construction workers in that area,” Trooper Batiste told KIRO Radio.

That’s had WSP monitoring that area closely, in hopes of encouraging drivers to slow down. Most recently, troopers cited 19 drivers in a single hour in a late-April nighttime speed emphasis patrol. 18 of those drivers were cited for moving 20 miles an hour over the speed limit.

Prior to that, 20 drivers were caught in an hour-and-a-half in mid-April, 14 of whom were cited for aggressive driving.

Because it’s a construction zone, fines in the area are doubled. That means drivers pulled over a standard speeding infraction get a $210 ticket. Anyone cited for aggressive driving (20 miles over) is forced to pay $374.

“The fact of the matter is that almost on a daily basis, troopers are responding to collisions through this stretch,” said Batiste.

The first of eight semi-truck crashes in that area of I-5 happened on Sept. 30. Other crashes happened on Oct. 8 and 25, Nov. 21, Dec. 11, Jan. 17 and 23, and March 26.

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