Date:
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Contact:
Detective Juli Mitchell, WSP Criminal Investigation Division, (253) 536-4376
Kelly Stowe, WSDOT Communications, (360) 480-3648
TACOMA – For the second time in a week, thieves darkened a section of highway in Pierce County. Sometime over the weekend, 2,000 feet of copper wire that feeds the lighting for the eastbound on-ramp to SR 16 near Cheney Stadium was stolen, leaving early-morning and evening commuters in the dark.
Last week, thieves pulled the ground wire that illuminated the freeway westbound from Union Avenue to 19th Street. This crime is becoming a weekly occurrence that is endangering drivers and costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.
WSDOT’s Olympic Region, which covers Pierce, Thurston, Mason, Kitsap, Grays Harbor, Jefferson and Clallam counties has incurred more than $145,000 in losses due to wire theft in the past year. There is no funding in WSDOT’s maintenance budget to replace the stolen wire, meaning this section of roadway will remain dark until money becomes available to replace the wire. WSDOT is self-insured, so ultimately taxpayers pay the price for the theft.
The public can help. Motorists who see suspicious activity along the roadside should contact the State Patrol by calling 1-866-976-WIRE or using the reporting form found at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Maintenance/material/observation.htm.
Other dark sections of highway around the region due to lack of funding include:
• I-5 Nisqually River Bridge in Thurston County
• US 101 at Black Lake Boulevard in Thurston County
• SR 8, Mox-Chehalis Road in Grays Harbor County
WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol need the public’s assistance raising awareness of this type of crime. Thieves go to great lengths to steal wire, even staging work zones to provide the opportunity, time and cover they need to rip out the wires. Motorists can help by reporting suspicious work zones to law enforcement.
A legitimate work zone includes:
• signs alerting you that you are approaching a work zone
• proper lighting
• orange cones, barriers, signs, etc.
• workers/flaggers wearing orange, reflective vests, hard hats, goggles and gloves
• vehicles with either exempt license plates and the WSDOT logo or clearly marked with contractor name
Weekly, WSDOT posts construction and maintenance operations. If it’s a state-owned roadway, the work will be listed at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/. For more information on wire-theft, please visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/maintenance/material.
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