It's a familiar scene. Drive westbound on Manchester Road, past Brentwood, and drivers begin riding their brakes as they pass the Trainwreck Saloon.

One might say the flickers of red brake lights are a show of respect, if you will, to the work of Lt. Ron Zeigler, the prolific Rock Hill traffic officer who retires Tuesday.

By his own count, Zeigler has written at least 130,000 traffic citations in his 38-year law enforcement career. He has spent the past 26 years on traffic patrols in Rock Hill, where he has become a familiar fixture — be it on motorcycle or behind the wheel of a police cruiser.

"He's extremely dedicated to the job of traffic enforcement officer," said Rock Hill Police Chief Paul Arnett.

When Zeigler — or Ziggy, as some call him — arrived in Rock Hill, there were about 650 accidents a year in the tiny municipality. Today, there are about 115 accidents a year.

"We haven't had a fatality in town here in a number of years," Zeigler said.

He credits that to the vigilance he and his fellow patrol officers have displayed while enforcing traffic laws — primarily on Manchester and McKnight roads.

Zeigler said a car accident early in his career made a permanent impression on him. A baby was killed after being pinned between the driver and the dashboard.

"That hit hard right there," Zeigler said. "I was unable to do anything to prevent it at that time. I made a commitment to myself that anything I could do to prevent another child from being killed in a car crash, I would do that."

Despite his reputation as a tireless ticket writer, Zeigler said, he does cut drivers some slack. For instance, the speed limit on Manchester is 30 mph, and he generally won't write a ticket unless a driver exceeds it by 10 or 11 mph. And he does issue warnings.

His work hasn't gone unnoticed. The state has honored Zeigler as traffic officer of the year. And recently, he was asked to appear on a talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. Zeigler declined.

Zeigler plans to spend his retirement working around his house in Warren County. Maybe relax.

You could hardly fault motorists for doing the same the next time they're on Manchester Road.

WALKING THE WALK

Jim Feeney, 51, figured he wanted to do something within the Missouri Department of Transportation "besides collecting a paycheck."

So when the idea came up for a privately funded memorial honoring MoDOT workers killed in the line of duty, he decided to step up and do something.

So by the time many of you are reading this, Feeney will have begun an 87.2-mile walk to raise awareness for work-zone safety and generate funds for the memorial. A maintenance crew leader in the St. Louis area, Feeney spends a lot of time in work zones. "We have close calls all the time," he told Ride.

Feeney will make the trek on his own time. He will be joined by his wife, and they will start in Weldon Spring early Saturday, follow the Katy Trail and hope to arrive in Jefferson City on Tuesday.

If you're interested in making a contribution to the memorial fund, make your check payable to the State Highway & Transportation Employees Association of Missouri and mail it to: District 7 Highway Credit Union, Attn: Dave B. Taylor, 3901 East 32nd Street, Suite A, Joplin, Mo. 64804.

Feeney said you could also make a check out to "Fallen Workers Memorial" and send it in care of Missouri Department of Transportation District 6, 1590 Woodlake Drive, Chesterfield, Mo. 63017.

Q. I noticed the other day that there are rust stains that appear on the concrete wall that supports the fence on McKnight Road over Highway 40 (Interstate 64). Is that a sign that the fencing is rusting already? How long is the warranty on that work?

— Paul Brueggestrass, Brentwood

A. Actually, the fence isn't rusting. The staining that you see is part of natural process by which a mineral leaches out of the concrete, said Dan Galvin of Gateway Constructors.



Q. The surface of Interstate 270 at Dougherty Ferry Road has very deep grooves running in several directions. When riding my motorcycle, there is no way to avoid getting caught in these grooves. It is a very dangerous situation, especially when the pavement is wet. I have noticed these grooves even throw my car around. Are there any plans to correct this dangerous situation?

— Steve Mogelnicki, Hazelwood

A. The Missouri Department of Transportation will do a pavement overlay in that area sometime within the next 18 months, said MoDOT spokesman Andrew Gates. It is part of the ongoing maintenance of the interstate and should smooth that area out. The grooves date to the removal of temporary pavement markings from that stretch of I-270.