County reaches out to state highway patrol after speeding concerns

MILL SPRING — Moore Road residents may have noticed lately that there is an increased police presence patrolling the road.

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman reached out to the highway patrol after several residents raised concerns earlier this month about excessive speeding on the roadway.

Pittman said he heard back from the highway patrol last week, and the department is assigning several troopers to work the area. Pittman encouraged residents to let him know if they start to see a lull in that enforcement.

“I’ve had several citizens in meetings and who have emailed me saying they’ve noticed an increase in enforcement,” Pittman said Monday.

Pittman emailed NCHP First Sgt. Jeremy Ledford earlier this month citing the concerns and asked for more enforcement.

During a public hearing regarding the possible regulation of golf carts on Moore Road, 13 residents spoke against golf carts. Commissioners voted against the county regulating golf carts on Moore Road.

The state recently lowered the speed limit on Moore Road to 35 mph, and residents came to the board of commissioners meeting saying how dangerous the road has become since the arrival of the Tryon International Equestrian Center nearby.

After Pittman reached out to the highway patrol about the concerns, Ledford responded.

“I have assigned several troopers to start patrolling the area when they are not responding to other calls for service,” Ledford said. “Hopefully, the word will get out that we are working the road and that will be a deterrent in itself.”

Residents told commissioners that drivers are speeding on Moore Road, traveling between 60 to 70 mph. In Pittman’s letter to Ledford, he told a story from a woman whose husband was hit by a motorist while on his tractor.

“The car hit the tractor and left the scene of the accident, not even checking to see if her husband was OK,” Pittman told Ledford.

Ledford did tell Pittman that the highway patrol recently had a trooper go out on an injury, so the department will be short one officer for a while.