Police place a premium on Route 9 safe driving
BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer

HOWELL - It is filled with about 300 orange cones, colorful signs and long stretches of barricades that will be used to enhance safety along the Route 9 corridor in Howell. An enclosed equipment trailer and two new police vehicles have been acquired by the Howell Police Department through the state Department of Transportation Highway Safety Fund Grant Program.

According to information provided by the DOT, the grant program was established to fund local law enforcement agencies for special enforcement efforts. The money in the account is used exclusively for highway safety projects and programs, education, enforcement, capital improvements and related measures deemed appropriate by DOT and the Division of State Police.

Lt. Andrew Kudrick and Sgt. Joseph Markulic prepared the application and agreement on behalf of the Howell police and secured funding of approximately $73,000.

"We were automatically awarded since [Howell's stretch of Route 9] is a safe corridor," Kudrick said.

Safe corridors are designated segments of state highways that are selected based on crash rates, fatalities, traffic volume and other highway traffic safety criteria. Fines are doubled for motor vehicle violations such as speeding, careless driving and reckless driving within those corridors, according to the DOT.

According to documents provided by the Howell police, "The goal of the Howell police, through the Highway Safety Fund, is to significantly increase compliance of motor vehicle laws and traffic safety awareness by motorists. This in turn will reduce collisions and injuries. Also, to increase the safety of emergency personnel at traffic incidents. This goal will be accomplished with the addition of equipment requested through the Highway Safety Fund Grant Program for Safe Corridors."

The grant has allowed the police department to purchase a 2007 Dodge Charger, which will be used to enforce motor vehicle laws on Route 9. The Dodge Charger will be unmarked.

Police said the vehicle will be used to "create an element of surprise in order to create an impression of police omnipresence. It will be equipped with low-profile emergency warning lights and will be operated by a uniformed police officer assigned to Route 9.

"The second vehicle will be a 2007 Dodge Durango. It will be marked for high visibility and assigned to the Traffic Safety Unit. The additional space offered by this sport utility vehicle will be used to transport equipment needed to assist collision investigators."

Both vehicles are expected to arrive shortly.

Markulic said he was pleased with the acquisition of the new equipment.

"It's a great enforcement tool for us and it's just something the department has been looking for," he said.