State troopers to be every 20 miles on interstates 55, 57

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- When Southeast Missouri residents travel the highways for the Fourth of July, they won't be alone. Today and Sunday, Troop E of the Missouri State Highway Patrol will take part in the 20-Mile Trooper Project.

According to Captain George E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E, Poplar Bluff, the project is an effort to promote safety and to reduce the number of crashes in the Troop E area. As part of the project, Troop E will post a trooper every 20 miles on interstates 55 and 57, and on selected secondary roads. The objective of the project is to place a trooper in close proximity of motorists who may need assistance and to aggressively enforce all traffic violations that may contribute to unsafe traveling conditions.

The patrol urges everyone to report any vehicle they observe operating in a careless manner. The public can contact the Highway Patrol toll-free at 1-800-525-5555 or on their cell phone at *55.