Morganton Public Safety ramps up focus on Sterling due to speeding

With some drivers zooming 20 mph over the speed limit, Morganton Public Safety has increased eyes on Sterling Street to improve safety within the city limits.

Just within the last week or so of monitoring the area, the highest speed was clocked at 65 mph in the 45 mph zone of Sterling Street and 40 mph in the 20 mph zone, according to Josiah Brown, field operations captain for MPS.

This is not the first time the department has targeted Sterling Street for enforcement. Brown said that 90% of the time, the department focuses on certain roadways because of resident complaints or an uptick in crashes. This time, however, the traffic unit and officers have been out on Sterling due to direction from Assistant Chief Keith Bowman, who noticed frequent speeding.

Officers begin by visually estimating a vehicle’s speed—a skill they develop through a 40-hour training course. They must pass a test for visual speed estimation. They also use Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) technology to measure the speed and distance of a vehicle, which is more reliable than radar.

“Don’t drive distracted and drive the speed limit,” Brown said, noting that the No. 1 factor in traffic crash injuries and fatalities is speed.

FOCUS AREAS

If there’s a school located near a road, chances are MPS will be regularly monitoring the area when school is in session. Areas to watch in the next month include East and West Fleming drives, East Union Street, West Concord Street, Independence Boulevard, Forest Hill Street, and Old Colony Road at Highway 18 North.

Fleming Drive, especially, has received extra attention as the NCDOT lowered the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph after two students were struck by a car on Jan. 29. The area has been problematic in the past as Morganton Public Safety has investigated other pedestrian/vehicle wrecks involving Case Farms employees crossing the road. One of the accidents in the area was a fatality.

In 2024, the Morganton City Council also approved lowering the speed limit on several residential streets from 35 mph to 25 mph: Bristol Street, North Street, Park Street, Sharon Street, Dogwood Drive, Smoke Rise Drive, Patton Street, Ann Street, Falls Street, Harris Drive, Cedar Street, Forest Hill Street, Colony Drive, Greenbriar Lane, Edgewood Avenue and Bolick Place.

Brown said there have still been some complaints of speeding in the areas, particularly on North and Bristol streets. He added that the department has also received complaints on Vine Arden Road due to dirtbikes and four-wheelers. These vehicles are illegal on public roads in North Carolina. Vfw Road and Morehead Street are other streets that the department keeps an eye on.

Although these aren’t all of the areas MPS monitors, they are the main ones. If the department receives complaints, it deploys a device to record vehicle speeds, then uses the data to assess the issue and identify the best times for enforcement.