Yesterday I posted about the speed cameras East St Louis is using on 55/70 east of the Poplar. As an update, here's what I learned when driving to Collinsville yesterday and passing through that area. It was around noon so there was no rush hour traffic.
The speed limit at the Illinois side of the bridge begins the 50 mph limit and I was determined to keep at that speed so that I wouldn't get a ticket. What I found was that going 50 along the stretch from the east end of the bridge to almost 203 is very scary. No one else was going 50 and cars were coming up behind me quickly and making sudden lane changes either to my right or left. Even more scary was seeing a big truck coming up behind me and not realizing I was going 50 and then quickly changing lanes to get around me. It's not that other drivers were zooming along at 70 or even 65, but all were going at least 55-60 and I was not only in danger, but was a danger to the others by not going with the flow of traffic.
But speed cameras do not care about the flow of traffic, all they see is the speed of vehicles. There is absolutely no reason for the speed limit to be 50 now that the construction is over and for safety sake it should be raised.
Coming back from Collinsville the same thing happened and I kept to the 50 mph, this time looking for the cameras. I found two sections of the highway where they were placed on top of those green information signs telling drivers which lane for what St. Louis highway. The first set was just a bit west of the 64 merge and the second was very close to the Missouri state line on the bridge. Each time there were two cameras, one west and one east.
I have to go back to Collinsville today and frankly I don't know if I have the nerve to keep the car at 50 when all around me swirl faster traffic. It's a bad choice to make, either not get a ticket or maybe be the cause of an accident.
There is another piece of information on this speed camera ticket thing in East St. Louis. Seems it may be illegal for them to take the fine money.
Sounds like a letter to IDOT and local Illinois State legislators would be the way to get this injustice fixed. Otherwise, drive 55 at your own peril.
Don't you just love East. St. Louis!!!! NOT.
Posted by: Ron | May 22, 2014 at 08:03 AM
Ron, it's 50, not 55. That's what makes it so scary. It's like you're standing still.
Posted by: Diane Meyer | May 22, 2014 at 08:28 AM
Yes, but they give you about 6 miles over the speed limit, before the ticketing kicks in.
Posted by: Ron | May 22, 2014 at 09:21 AM
Does that apply to cameras or on site trooper radar?
Posted by: Diane Meyer | May 22, 2014 at 10:25 AM
Diane, I so agree with you since I drive this everyday I work. So I guess I am going to get one too no doubt. Driving 50 even 60 is dangerous through there, you feeling they are going to run over you. The same goes for construction zones where I do drive the limit, but others just zoom on through.
Posted by: Ann Hinrichs | May 22, 2014 at 11:33 AM