The installation of a moveable median barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, intended to solve one problem, has apparently created another.

The California Highway Patrol has launched a crackdown on speeders in response to repeated complaints since the barrier went into effect Jan. 12.

“We’re seeing too many drivers driving 20 to 30 miles over the speed limit,” Kary Witt, general manager of the bridge district, said Thursday. “It’s completely unacceptable, and the CHP will help us remind drivers the best way to stay safe on the bridge is by sticking to the speed limits.”

The barrier, which was installed to prevent head-on collisions, might have created a sense of “complacency” about safety risks on the bridge, the CHP said Thursday. The CHP noted that the lanes are narrower since the median was installed, the bridge has no shoulders, and the Golden Gate is prone to strong wind and fog.

The speed limit is 45 mph on the bridge, 35 mph on approach to the toll plaza and 25 mph through the toll plaza. The southbound speed limit from the Waldo Tunnel to the bridge was lowered from 55 mph to 45 mph when the barrier was installed, the bridge district said.

When the CHP started the speeding crackdown on Wednesday, it ticketed 14 drivers within the first hour, with speeds as high as 70 mph. On Thursday afternoon, police clocked a driver at 81 mph, said CHP Officer Patrick Roth.

Total fines for speeding on a bridge or in a tunnel can range from $238 to $490, depending on the speed. More fines can result for drivers with prior violations, Roth said. —— (c)2015 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.) Visit The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.) at www.marinij.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC AMX-2015-01-23T00:01:00-05:00