Edmond Police Ticket Drivers Cutting Through Parking Lots To Avoid Construction Traffic

Friday, July 5th 2019, 5:33 pm

By: Erica Rankin

Edmond police have been heavily patrolling the intersection of 15th and Santa Fe after they started receiving complaints that drivers were cutting through parking lots, like Crest, to avoid the traffic.

Construction began a few weeks ago on the intersection and is expected to go until August, but, it is causing some backups in the area.

So, to avoid the wait, some drivers fly through Crest, thinking it will save them time.

“They are coming through here angry and they are trying to get through here as fast as possible,” said Eric Loller, the safety coordinator at Crest.

Loller has put up extra stop signs through the parking lot trying to make drivers slow down, but, when an employee’s car was hit by one of these drivers trying to save a few minutes, they decided to call the police for help.

“It is just unnecessary to try and save a few moments of someone’s time,” said Edmond police Sgt. James Hamm. “Because that could cause a lifelong effect trying to save that little bit of time.”

Aside from cutting through parking lots at high rates of speed being unsafe, it is also illegal in Edmond.

“Our city ordinance says if you are going to pull into a parking lot, you have to be doing business there or buying merchandise,” said Hamm.

If you are pulled over for cutting through, you could be hit with a fine of $160.

“The best thing to do is if you don’t have to come this way just avoid the intersection,” said Hamm.