Speeders Beware, Tulsa Police Step Up Enforcement On Broken Arrow Expressway

Tulsa police are cracking down on a highway tens of thousands of drivers use every day.

Officers are focusing on the Broken Arrow Expressway, where the speed limit varies from 55 miles per hour to 60, and up to 65 the further east you go.

But speeding isn't the only thing Tulsa police are watching for right now, and they are giving no warnings.

"The Broken Arrow, I mean, I've been here 30 years and it's always kind of been a problem," said Cpl. Steve Wood.

During a one-hour ride-along, Cpl. Wood saw several speeding violations.

"We really do like to do the violations that lead to our collisions, that's the whole idea is to try and correct some of that," Wood said.

12/10/2012 Related Story: Tulsa Police Crack Down On Speeders In Construction Zones

He said speed accounts for more than half of the 15,000 yearly collisions in Tulsa.

One driver was clocked at 75 in a 60, during our ride-along.

Police say the biggest problem area on the BA is at Lewis.

"As long as traffic is flowing, then we're safe. But once it gets bogged down, that's when the rear-enders start," Wood said.

The driver of another car was also going 15 over the speed limit. He said it's way too easy to speed on the BA.

"I was coming out of that corner and I realized I was going faster than I should have been, and then I saw him and I was like, ‘Ugh,'" said driver Alex McFarland.

McFarland uses the expressway every day.

Cops are also ticketing for drivers following too closely, which is a problem during rush hour.

Another driver had an expired tag, and then Cpl. Wood found out the man had a suspended license and no proof of insurance.

"If people would do two things, slow down and pay attention, we could probably do something about the 15,000 collisions we're doing a year, in this city," Wood said.

Tulsa police will be cracking down on the BA Expressway all week long.

Fines start at $150 and go up to $200.

If you're going more than 20 miles over the speed limit, that comes with a mandatory court appearance.