(Council Bluffs, Iowa) –  Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department today (Wed., April 30), issued a report on the results of a special traffic enforcement project targeting drivers who didn’t slow down or pull over when entering work zones. Leading up to April 22nd, authorities posted several times on their social media pages, that, “In observation of National Work Zone Awareness month we would like to focus on Iowa Code 321.323A- “Move Over Law”. The law states that a driver shall change lanes when approaching a stationary vehicle with hazard or other lights flashing on the side of the roadway. If this is not possible then the driver shall reduce the speed of their vehicle as they pass. Officers will be conducting a “Move Over” enforcement project on I-80 and I-29 April 22nd in memory of Iowa DOT worker Matthew Dickerson who tragically lost his life last May in a work zone.”

In an update on the enforcement efforts, Council Bluffs Police said the department partnered with the Carter Lake P-D, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and Arrow Towing to focus on “Move Over violations” and speeding, on Interstates 80 and 29, from 8-a.m. until Noon on the 22nd. “During this four-hour period, the project resulted in a total of 102 citations and warnings, where 30 were issued for failing to move over and 43 for speeding. The highest recorded speed was by the driver of 104 MPH in a 65MPH zone. Officers also arrested an impaired driver.”

Authorities said “Despite the project, officers are still observing high speeds on the I-80 Express lanes. Therefore, we will continue to work with speed enforcement to bring those numbers down to a reasonable speed. We urge drivers to remember to Move Over when they see a vehicle on the shoulder.”