By Trent Moore
Staff Writer
CULLMAN — Speeders take note: Saint Joseph Drive is off limits, unless you obey the speed limit.
“We’ve been getting a lot of complaints about people speeding on Saint Joseph Drive, and in other parts of town,” Cullman Mayor Max Townson said. “So, next Wednesday we’ll be setting up a radar. There are lots of people who jog on that road and folks don’t need to be going that fast down there.”
Townson said the city plans to increase police patrols in areas where speeding is a problem in the coming months, with Saint Joseph Drive first on the list.
“As a mayor and council we think people are driving too fast, so we want people to slow down before we have to start issuing tickets,” he said. “We’re requesting all our citizens on all our city streets slow down and obey the speed limit.”
Police Chief Kenny Culpepper said the route is such a problem area because many merge on the road from Hwy. 157 and never slow down.
“A lot of people have started using that as a cut through,” he said.
To ensure all drivers are aware of the current 40 miles-per-hour speed limit on the road, Townson said the city has installed new, more prominent speed warning signs. The speed limit drops even further, as low as 30 miles-per-hour, when the road merges into Saint Joseph Street.
“We put some large signs with bold print out there ... to make them more visible,” Townson said. “People need to know that the fine for speeding can be up to $500.”
Culpepper said the department will be keeping a close eye on the area in the coming weeks.
“We’re going to start cracking down and running radar up there soon,” he said. “We just want to give everyone a fair warning before we start.”
Another route the city police will focus on is Highway 278 East, near St. Bernard Preparatory School.
“We’re looking at that one, as well as the downtown area,” Townson said. “We would like to see everyone drop their speed down ... People need to check the speed limits.”
‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.
