Illinois State Police Step Up I-57 Patrols Near Mt. Vernon: More Than 650 Citations and Warnings in First Week
The Illinois State Police (ISP) announced on November 12 that it is increasing patrols and enforcement in advance of the holiday season, focusing daily resources since earlier this month on Interstate 57 near Mt. Vernon as part of a construction work zone safety initiative.
During the first week of November, ISP issued more than 650 citations and warnings to drivers, completed more than 80 Motor Carrier Safety Inspections, and placed 17 commercial vehicles traveling through the zones out of service. Troop 10 Patrol, the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau and the Special Operations Group are working together to get drivers to slow down, follow at a safe distance, move over and stop driving distracted, the leading causes of crashes in work zones, ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has maintained two lanes in each direction during peak or daytime hours, scheduled more disruptive work during off-peak hours, reduced speed limits and added lane markings. Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi said the people working behind the cones and barricades want to get home safely to their families. Construction in the two zones on I-57 near Mt. Vernon will continue until June and October 2027, and last year 50% of crashes ISP handled in Jefferson County occurred in a work zone.
The minimum fine for a first offense of speeding in a work zone is $250; a second offense brings a 90-day license suspension and a $750 fine, and a violation that injures another person brings a mandatory suspension of six months to two years. Violating the Move Over Law carries a fine of $250 to $10,000 for a first offense.
(Source: Illinois State Police)
Source: Illinois State Police
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：伊利诺伊州境内的 I-57 州际公路。Wikimedia Commons 照片，CC BY-SA 2.0。 / Photo: Interstate 57 in Illinois. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
