GAHANNA, OH (WCMH) — Gahanna Police say they’ve responded to 155 crashes to on a four mile stretch of road just this year. Police said it’s taking up too much of their time. Now they’re trying to curb the problem.

You’ll now see more officers on the stretch of 270 that runs through Gahanna, specifically from Broad Street to Route 62/670.

Police said they’re trying to reduce crashes so they can keep more officers out on city and residential streets fighting crime.

“This year through September we’ve had over 600 crashes in the city and of those over 150 have been out on our portion of our 270,” said Lt. Ethan Moffitt with Gahanna Police. That’s four miles of road accounting for 25% of the crashes police handle, taking officers off the streets for hours at a time.

“When we do have a crash out there often it requires multiple units to respond,” said Lt. Moffitt.

Will and Ashley Oxendine have lived in Gahanna for the past seven years. They were shocked to learn local police are responsible for what happens on the portion of the highway.

“That does seem like they’re getting stretched thin that way,” said Ashley Oxendine.

“It seems like a lot to me. It seems like the freeway would be more of state police,” said Will Oxendine.

Police said you’ll now see more of them out on 270.

“We’re targeting aggressive driving behavior, speed, distracted driving. It’s all in an effort again to reduce crashes,” said Lt. Moffitt.

Hopefully keeping more officers in neighborhoods like the Oxendine’s.

“It does make you feel safe to have them here,” said Ashley.

Just this August a police officer’s cruiser was hit as he was trying to clear a different accident on 270 in Gahanna.