VA - Police Plan I-95 Enforcement

Police Plan I-95 Enforcement
Henrico Citizen Staff Reports 02.APR.08
Motorists on a 13-mile stretch of I-95 should expect to see triple the number of Virginia State Police Officers tomorrow. Officers will be patrolling the stretch between Bells Road (Exit 70) and Parham Road (Exit 83) tomorrow, targeting aggressive drivers. That stretch of I-95 is designated as a Highway Safety Corridor, which brings enhanced penalties for traffic violations.

Troopers will be conducting “saturation” patrols in the corridor to promote traffic safety through stringent enforcement and increased visibility in an area that experiences a high volume of traffic and numerous interchanges. In 2006, 696 traffic crashes occurred. Of the 696, 175 resulted in injury and two deaths. In 2007, there were 759 of which 196 resulted in injury and four deaths. During a one-day enforcement project in November, 2007, troopers issued more than 150 summonses for traffic violations.

This Highway Safety Corridor is the second stretch of highway to be designated for increased enforcement and fines under the Highway Safety Corridor Program. The most recently named Highway Safety Corridor is located on Interstate 95 near Quantico in Northern Virginia. The only other corridor in the Commonwealth runs along Interstate 81 near Salem.

Highway Safety Corridors originate only after a detailed traffic engineering study is conducted which is followed by a public comment period. Crash frequency, overall vehicle crash rate, truck-involved crash rate, enforcement considerations, and roadway characteristics are factors that are considered.

Enforcement initiatives are funded jointly by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and troopers assigned to the projects are in addition to normal allocations.

Per this advisory, the troopers often hide in the center median around Exit 98 north of Richmond (daily!). They mostly use KA band instant-on and there are often more than one of them in that section. There are also several unmarked cars in use. On Northbound 95 out of Richmond, there is often one hiding off the right shoulder before you reach Ashland (also daily).

Another popular hidding place is near Woodbridge, I was recently surprised by one trooper standing outside his car using a hand-held radargun (most troopers on 95 use onboard radars), but for some reason the RX65 never went off! Just be careful, over the last 6 months there seems to be a lot of traps between DC and Richmond. But if you watch the brake lights half a mile ahead or for slow traffic, that will often tip you off before you get hit by their instant on. On the other hand, they don't always use their radars while they sit and wait for their prey.

I love how VA uses i/o :laugh:

Looks like a lot of VSP officers will be on the lookout for the driving public.

VSP are definitely out there daily on I-95 in Virginia and I agree with other posters on their general location with the following addition:

1-They now tuck deeper into the trees so you won't see them in some cases until you've past them or if you are headed the opposite way and you see their tail hidding in the trees. This was around marker-136.

2-In addition to KA and K band instant-on, a pair of VSP may simply sit and monitor traffic w/o turning on their radars, but once you go past them, 2-3 minutes later one will give chase.. He will sneak up your behind and literally tailgate you for a few seconds, pacing your speed, and then move on to another car if you're not speeding to quickly single out the pray.

3-I also saw one VSP parked 90'degrees to I-95 and pointing his radar gun through the open passenger window to tag oncoming cars. Some how the RX65 did not even chirp, so something may be wrong with its LASER. It works on KA and K band.

Drive safely out there!

it def sounds like laser...unless you are not targeted directly your laser will most likely not go off