Multiple police jurisdictions patrol Interstate 77 through Lake Norman

During the past month, the following police activity has been spotted on Interstate 77 in the Lake Norman area:

• A Mooresville police motorcycle officer sitting atop the Exit 31 (Langtree Road) bridge checking the speed of northbound vehicles;

• A Cornelius police officer clocking southbound traffic on I-77 from the Exit 28 ramp. (This resulted in two tickets: DWI and speeding at 80 mph.)

• Huntersville police with their radar-equipped cars on the median of the interstate just past the Hambright Road bridge, checking for northbound speeders.

This activity in addition to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, which also patrols the interstate.

The police presence on the interstate as it slices through the Lake Norman area can be significant, with traffic checks performed by local departments in addition to State Troopers.

In some other areas of the country, local departments generally confine their traffic patrols to secondary roadways.

But on I-77 in Iredell and north Mecklenburg counties, officials from the Highway Patrol and local departments involved believe this “coverage overlap” makes the interstate safer for all motorists.

“Even though we don’t routinely work I-77, I encourage it occasionally,” said Cornelius Police Chief Bence Hoyle. “I-77 is our lifeline, and accidents create a big problem for local traffic. The more drivers think we are out there, the better.”

Huntersville Chief Phil Potter agreed: “We once pulled over a car doing 109 mph. This is a quality-of-life issue, and we need to keep speeding under control.”

Maj. Gerald Childress of the Mooresville police says that “all Mooresville police officers are authorized to patrol the interstate,” though he admits it is not their No. 1 priority.

Both Hoyle and Potter also cite limited state manpower as another factor.

“The Highway Patrol is very thinly staffed in this area, so we are lucky when we can get them up here,” Hoyle said.

For its part, the state has no problem with local police clocking speeders on the interstate.

“As long as these departments have the resources and manpower to handle those patrols, we have no objection at all,” said 1st Sgt. Jeff Gordon, Highway Patrol spokesman. “The more visible police presence, the safer it is for everyone.”

The disposition of revenues generated by speeding fines could be a second factor influencing the overlap between patrol jurisdictions.

“All fines in North Carolina go the school system, regardless of who writes the ticket,” said Cornelius Chief Hoyle said. “Our ticket books are all identical, except for the serial number on each one.”

That means there is no financial incentive for the state to restrict patrols.

It’s unlikely motorists in the Lake Norman area will see any changes on the interstate in the near future.

“The area chiefs have met in the past and discussed issues with speeding and quick clearance of accidents on I-77,” said Hoyle, “and generally agreed that we will work together and continue to have a presence out there.”