OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Residents on 99th Terrace in Overland Park will get the increased police presence they requested earlier this week.
In July, a 70-year-old woman who lived on 99th was killed when a 19-year-old girl left the roadway and struck her as she was doing yard work.
On Tuesday, local residents gathered at Knox Presbyterian Church to discuss the traffic problems, saying drivers ignore stop signs and speed limits. The meeting was called in response to public outcry of neighbors who say the road is unsafe.
"They don't honor the speed limit. It doesn't mean anything," Jack Marsh said on Tuesday. He has lived in the neighborhood for 42 years.
Traffic engineers estimate about 2,800 vehicles travel the connector road each day.
Officers with the Overland Park Police Department will be conducting high intensity traffic enforcement on 99th Terrace from Antioch to Switzer starting Monday, Aug. 17, according to a news release from the city.
Police say before last month’s fatal accident, officers had already patrolled the area on a regular basis, but add that a “high intensity” enforcement will mean officers will spend up to eight hours a day focusing on strict traffic enforcement, issuing tickets to anyone exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police say that speed was not a factor in the accident. Investigators have not filed any charges in the case.
