The Pevely and Herculaneum Police Departments recently implemented Operation Brakepoint, an effort to promote safe driving along I-55 in Jefferson County where the Missouri Department of Transportation works on a $246 million construction project to widen and improve the interstate from north of Pevely to Hwy. 67 south of Festus, authorities reported.
Pevely Capt. Don Moore said Operation Brakepoint is a proactive effort that began earlier this month.
“Operation Brakepoint combines high-visibility patrols with strategic enforcement,” he said. “Our officers are conducting directed patrols specifically targeting the I-55 construction zone, making stops when it’s safe for both them and the motoring public.”
Moore said officers are using “deterrence-based visibility tactics,” such as “officers (patroling) I-55 with rear deck lights (in their vehicles) activated to calm traffic flow, stationary patrol vehicles with emergency lights on to alert drivers entering the construction zone and coordinated patrol timing during high-volume travel periods.”
Moore said state government grants are funding Operation Brakepoint.
“We’re utilizing Missouri Highway Safety Grant funding through the Traffic Safety Division to support targeted traffic enforcement,” he said. “These grants allow us to assign additional patrols specifically focused on hazardous moving violations within the I-55 corridor without impacting the city’s general budget.”
Moore said no end date has been set for Operation Brakepoint.
“It’s an open-ended initiative that will continue throughout the I-55 construction project and potentially beyond, depending on results,” he said. “The Herculaneum Police Department has partnered with us in this endeavor, combining efforts and coordinating patrols along I-55.
“Together, we’re sharing information, aligning enforcement schedules and amplifying our message across both jurisdictions. When drivers see Pevely and Herculaneum patrol units working side by side, it sends a powerful message that this is a united effort to save lives.”
The MoDOT construction project to add a third lane in each direction on I-55 between Pevely and Hwy. 67 began in January 2024 and is expected to be completed in December 2026.
The project also includes the replacement of the signalized intersection at Hwy. 67 and Hwy. CC with an interchange that allows free-flowing traffic at Hwy. 67 under a new Hwy. CC bridge; constructing new interchanges at Hwy. Z in Pevely, McNutt Street in Herculaneum and at Hwy. 67 south of Festus; replacing 14 bridges; and rehabilitating 12 bridges and other improvements.
KCI Construction Co. of St. Louis, the project contractor, is participating in Operation Brakepoint by installing digital speed monitors throughout the construction zone to improve driver awareness, Moore said.
He said the point of the effort is to get drivers to slow down on I-55.
“At the end of the day, Operation Brakepoint isn’t about writing tickets, it’s about saving lives,” Moore said. “Every driver, every construction worker and every officer deserves to go home safely. If we can get even one motorist to slow down and make a safer choice behind the wheel, the mission is working.”