Thomas Wells | Buy at photos.djournal.com
A motorist zooms past the speed limit sign on West Barnes Crossing Road, also known as the Northern Loop. The five-lane road that connects the west side of Tupelo with the retail center around the mall has a speed limit of just 50 mph, based on the engineers’ recommendation.
By William Moore
Daily Journal
TUPELO – As Tupelo motorists have begun to travel the Northern Loop more often, so have the Tupelo Police.
“We haven’t increased patrols on the road, we have just started familiarizing ourselves with it,” said Tupelo Police Chief Bart Aguirre. “We’re trying to give the folks a little bit of time, just to let the road get broken in.
“Those folks really exceeding the speed limit will be stopped and ticketed.”
The Northern Loop, or West Barnes Crossing Road, connects the west side of Tupelo with the retail shopping areas near The Mall at Barnes Crossing. For most of the five-lane road, the speed limit is 50 mph. Many motorists travel at speeds higher than the posted limit, especially the smooth flat sections between U.S. Highway 78 and the Natchez Trace Parkway bridge.
Aguirre even admits his speed creeps up when traveling that stretch.
“You do have to make a conscious effort not to exceed that 50 mph limit,” said Aguirre.
While the speed limit might seem slow to motorists, the 50 mph mark is based on science.
“That was the speed limit recommended by the engineers who designed the road,” said Johnny Timmons, who heads the Tupelo Traffic Committee. “They have a formula that looks at the grade of the road, the number and size of curves, sight distances and things like that. It then spits out a number that is the recommended speed limit.
“But people get out there and see this nice wide road where you can see ahead forever and want to run 65 or 70.”
Exceeding the posted speed limit will put a serious dent in a driver’s wallet. Someone caught doing 70 in a 50 zone will face a $168 ticket, said Tupelo Municipal Court Director John Knight.
The Northern Loop will be patrolled, but Aguirre has no plans to turn the Northern Loop into a speed trap.
“As far as putting extra folks out there on patrol or running radar, we are not doing that right now,” said Aguirre. “But we do patrol out there.”
As a gentle reminder for motorists to slow down, the police department could place their Speed Controlled Awareness Trailer, or S.C.A.T., along the busy road. The trailer features a radar and a large LED display to show people just how fast they are going. A speed limit sign above the display reminds motorists of the actual speed limit in that area.
“I’ll probably mention it to the patrol division to set the S.C.A.T. out on the Northern Loop,” said Aguirre.
william.moore@journalinc.com