Following a deadly accident on Interstate 20 several months ago, the Alabama Department of Transportation posted a 55-miles per hour speed limit, effective March 19, on a section from the state line westward to Coldwater.

Since that time there has been a marked increase in the number of speeding tickets issued and a decline in the number of accidents.

Alabama State Trooper spokesman Chad Joiner said the total number of tickets issued since March 19, when the 55 speed limit became official, is 5,039. Of that total, 4,397 have been issued for speeding.

The tickets were issued along the posted route from the state line to Coldwater in Calhoun County.

ALDOT spokesman Tony Harris was unable to furnish any accident figures but said that typically, "when there is a speed limit reduction like we're seeing on I-20 because of on-going maintenance, does result in a reduction in crashes and other accidents."

Harris said there is on-going maintenance and widening work between Birmingham and the state line and anticipates the 55 speed limit to be in place for a few years.

He said there are several major projects planned between St. Clair County and the state line and anticipates work to begin on I-20 in Cleburne County later this year or next year.

This work, he said, will be a mix of widening and maintenance — possibly resurfacing of the existing lanes.

Harris further noted that posting a speed limit of 55 is not unprecedented.

He said the 55 limit was posted on I-65 near Montgomery while work was being done thee and added that once work is completed on I-20 the speed limit will be raised.

Cleburne County Circuit Clerk Jerry Paul Owen is quick to point out that he and his office have had nothing to do with establishing the lower speed limit but notes that it has created more work for them.

"I want to stress that this is not a revenue producing measure, but is in place to slow drivers down and hopefully help save lives over this rough stretch of highway and cut down on the number of wreck," Owen said.

Meanwhile, the number of tickets issued has almost doubled, bringing a lot more work to his department.

According to Owen, his department handled 9,424 tickets in 2009.

This year, as of July 22, his office has already processed 9,442 tickets and they still have five more months in the year and three major travel holidays — Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

As of July 6 his department has collected $227,346 in fines.

The very minimum a speeding ticket can cost is $210 and of that amount, the county keeps $46 and the state receives the remainder.

Cleburne County's last court date was July 6 at which time there were 1,270 tickets on the docket. "That," said Owen, "was the largest number of traffic tickets we have ever had in one day."

Owen said that about 120 of those were contested.

The next docket, set for next month, already has 1,561.

He expects about 95 percent of those to pay their fines with the remainder to be contested in court.

And paying is now easier following a joint effort of the University of Alabama and the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts that has developed a state-wide on-line payment system whereby ticketed individuals can pay on-line with a credit card and no longer have to mail or come to the Cleburne County Courthouse.

"This computerized system has stopped 90 percent of the people from having to come here. Collections are so much easier. Cleburne County was one of the pilot counties for this project and the first to do credit cards," Owen explained.

He said that overall, truckers have slowed down due to federal requirements placing tougher regulations on drivers with CDL licenses.