The Greensboro and UNCG police have announced a nine-week campaign to reduce accidents and crime on Spring Garden Street. The effort will start Tuesday September 16.
The target area is from Mendenhall Street west through the campus and out to West Market Street, a distance of about four miles. Marked and unmarked cars will be used, so watch it.
Here’s the text of the announcement:
“On September 16, two local police agencies will begin a traffic safety initiative on Spring Garden Street. Officers from the Greensboro Police Department Traffic Safety Unit and the University of North Carolina – Greensboro Police Department will initiate a nine-week campaign to increase safety along a four-mile segment between W. Market Street and Mendenhall Street.
“ ‘This roadway is a primary thoroughfare for students, faculty, and motorists traveling to and from the downtown business district,’ said GPD Officer R.B. Smith. ‘The goal of this combined effort is to reduce crashes and improve overall traffic safety while decreasing area crimes.’ ”
“Officers from both police departments will use marked and unmarked vehicles, along with overt and covert enforcement methods.
“As with prior traffic safety campaigns, the location was chosen based on crime data and crash information spanning one-quarter mile off both sides of the enforcement area.
“As a point of comparison, an analysis of data from the campaign area the same nine-week period in 2013 shows:
- 29 reported crashes involving 81 occupants, five whom sustained injuries
- Four cases of breaking and entering
- Two robberies
- 36 larcenies
- Two auto thefts
“At the conclusion of the campaign, police and crime analysts will review the traffic and crime data to determine what effects the initiative had on traffic safety and crime in the area.”