County law enforcement focus on Highway 30 safety

Drivers on Highway 30 between Scappoose and St. Helens may have noticed an increased law enforcement presence on Thursday of last week, not by accident, as law enforcement agencies partnered up for what they’ve called a “traffic safety blitz.”

The Columbia City Police Department coordinated the Aug. 29 traffic safety blitz, and Columbia City Police Chief Gerald Bartolomucci said the idea came from meetings between department heads around the county because traffic safety is an issue they hear about in the community.

Bartolomucci said he and other departments decided a traffic detail prior to the holiday weekend would be “a good opportunity to make a visible presence on the highway.”

“We chose the highway between St. Helens and Scappoose due to the high volume of traffic that would see the officers out on the highway, and the speeds often exceed the posted speed limit,” Bartolomucci said.

Columbia County Sheriff Brian Pixley said that law enforcement has received many complaints regarding speed and unsafe driving on the Highway 30 corridor.

“While individual agencies have attempted to address this concern, a more focused initiative was needed. This blitz was organized to make drivers more aware of their speed, slow them down, and remind them to drive safer,” Pixley said. “This time, we targeted south county, from the county line through Columbia City. We believe there is a better chance of making a significant impact on safety if we focus our efforts on a manageable area.”

Participating agencies included the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Vernonia Police, Scappoose Police, Columbia City Police Department, and St. Helens Police Department. Over the course of the operation, there were 22 warnings and 12 citations issued.

Bartolomucci said that law enforcement has plans to continue these types of details in other areas of the county to try and improve the safety of the entire community within Columbia County. As the driving force behind coordinating the blitz, Bartolomucci said he plans on continuing to coordinate these efforts.

With safety as a priority on Highway 30, Pixley hopes these types of efforts will help people reflect on their own actions and drive more safely.

“Driving safely not only impacts you, but other drivers on the road. Traffic safety blitzes will continue throughout Columbia County on an ongoing basis to help ensure you are driving safely and with due regard to the speed limit,” Pixley said. “Please keep this in mind next time you get behind the wheel to drive. If you are driving unsafely, you may get pulled over and ticketed for your actions.”