90 Ticketed During Friday Traffic Enforcement Effort

Police from four municipalities were out in force stopping speeders and aggressive drivers along Route 13 Friday morning. In total, 90 tickets were written by officers.

Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Falls Township and Tullytown officers held their traffic safety detail from the Morrisville border to the Neshaminy Creek on Bristol Township’s border with Bensalem.

It wasn’t uncommon to see to see multiple officers stopping drivers along the 10-mile stretch of Route 13, which varies from four-lane limited access highway to parkway style.

Below are the details on each towns’ portion of the traffic detail:

• Bristol Borough: 10 summons
• Bristol Township: 10 citations and six warnings
• Falls Township: 32 citations
• Tullytown: 38 citations, one drug arrest and a unsafe truck taken off the roads

“The speed is out of control on Route 13,” Tullytown police Chief Daniel Doyle, who organized the enforcement effort, said minutes after pulling over a driver for speeding at 111 mph.

“We’re working to make the road safe,” the chief added. “Enforcement and education are going to be regular.”

Tullytown used social media to warn of the traffic detail earlier this month but did not mark a date.

Doyle explained that towns don’t make much money, if any, on enforcement details. He pointed out that the state and courts get the majority of the fine, leaving municipalities with $12.50 that is needed to pay for their costs.

While there are numerous ways municipal officers in Pennsylvania can track speed, Tullytown police Friday morning used a certified Robic speed timing device to track the vehicles time between two measured fixed objects along Route 13. The handheld timing device used by Officer Andrew Seltzer then calculated the vehicle’s speed.

Across Pennsylvania, municipal officers can not use speed radar devices unlike other states. The devices can only be used by Pennsylvania State Police.

Friday’s detail not only targeted speeders but also unsafe commercial vehicles. In Tullytown, a dump truck that had failing front brakes, improper allowances and numerous other defects was taken off the roads.

Falls police Lt. Nelson Witney said five of the department’s officers took part in the traffic enforcement.

Doyle said more traffic enforcement details are in the works along Route 13.