Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

By Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

Originally published, Oct. 2, 2018

This really wasn't about finding out if people speed as they zip around the Lehigh Valley.

It was more a matter of how fast drivers are going when they think no one is watching.

We asked for your suggestions on places where speeding is a problem. This time we're starting with the major highways and roads in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

We'll hit the neighborhood roads you suggested in another story.

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About the data

The data was collected in the middle of the day, between morning and evening rush hours. All the days were clear and the roads dry.

Dragging the Stalker Sport 2 radar gun to highways like Interstate 78, Route 22 and Route 33 showed us that area drivers have the need, the need for speed.

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Use of radar guns

In Pennsylvania, state police are the only law enforcement officers allowed by law to use radar guns.





Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that prevents local cops from using radar guns. Pennlive.com has reported police officials said the ban was rooted in a fear among lawmakers that small towns would establish speed traps to generate revenue.

Your local police department is left to use non-radar devices, or stopwatches and speed timing devices to catch drivers.

There has been proposed legislation to change the law to allow municipal police to use radar guns, including this past spring . But the bills haven't gone anywhere.

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Results of our radar checks

Here's what we found when we clocked the speeds of cars and trucks on major highways and roads in the Lehigh Valley. In short, a lot of us need to slow down.

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Route 309

The speeds were measured the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 27, of traffic traveling north on Route 309 as it approaches the intersection with Center Valley Parkway.

The speed was recorded as vehicles were traveling toward a red light and stopped traffic at the intersection.

That intersection has been the scene of fatal crashes, including one in August that killed two people.

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Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Route 378

These speeds were measured the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 26 for Route 378 North from the West Broad Street overpass.

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Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

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The 25 Valley towns where cops issued the most speeding tickets last year

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Routes 100/222

These speeds were measured on Routes 222 South before the split with Route 100, south of Grim Road, on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 27 in Upper Macungie Township.

The Route 222 bypass has the distinction of the highest speed measured in the three days we went around the Lehigh Valley - a motorcycle clocked going 88.9 miles per hour in the 45 mph zone.

It also had the most visible police presence. An Upper Macungie police cruiser was sitting nearby on Route 100, between Industrial Boulevard and Route 222. And after we were done measuring speeds, an officer pulled over a vehicle heading south right before Grim Road.

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Image via Google Maps

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Route 33

The speeds were measured the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 26, for Route 33 heading south from the Main Street overpass in Palmer Township, near Tatamy.

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Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Route 22

We clocked these drivers the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 26, as they were traveling west on Route 22 in Wilson Borough, from the pedestrian bridge between 13th and 25th streets.

The only vehicle traveling closest to the speed limit was a yellow mini school bus.

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Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Get regular traffic updates here

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Interstate 78

We recorded speeds on Interstate 78 on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 28, on the West Rock Road overpass in Salisbury Township. It sits between the West Emaus Avenue and Routes 145 and 309 exits.

This overpass did not have a barrier-protected walkway on the sides, so the bright orange traffic vest could have led to some drivers slowing down.

In this area, I-78 East is headed downhill, while I-78 West is heading uphill.

All speeds were measured for vehicles in the left lanes, or passing lanes.

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Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.