CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
Anyone who has driven the causeway between Portland and Corpus Christi since March has noticed the heavy presence of DPS troopers along with Portland police.
Its all part of the Harbor Bridge Wrong-Way Driver Coalition Task Force trying to put a stop to wrong-way drivers in the area.
The number of drivers heading the wrong way over the Harbor Bridge became such a problem that it caught the governor’s attention. He ordered TxDOT and DPS to do what they had to do to stop those drivers.
"It’s a partnership between the state and local agencies that have made this such a successful operation, and we will continue to work at it until conditions change, and we can ensure the safety of the motoring public,” said Sgt. Rob Mallory, Department of Public Safety
Since March, DPS has been on patrol 24 hours a day along the causeway as part of the task force. They’re working 12-hour shifts with around three troopers on duty during each shift. Portland Police Chief Mark Cory said the initiative will continue for the foreseeable future.
”It’s going to continue for the foreseeable future. There is no set end date. It’s going to continue. It’s had great effect. It’s saving lives and making the roadways safer and that’s what law enforcement is all about," he said.
DPS has been busy. Troopers have made 134 DWI arrests along the highway here. It’s stopped 10 wrong way drivers. Eight of those drivers were also drunk according to DPS. Portland also caught 74 more drunk drivers over that time period.
"That’s significant. That is a lot of dangerous drunk drivers that are taken off the roadway,” he said.
Cory said that along with saving lives, the causeway task force has saved the city at least a hundred thousand dollars in damages to its police units. That's because of the police department's policy to pursue and stop.
- 15,522 total stops
- 5,660 citations
- 16,886 warnings
- 1,533 speed citations
- 319 seatbelt citations
- 134 DWI arrests
- 208 Narcotics arrests
- 10 wrong-way drivers
- 99 motorist assists
- 0 camera hits
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