Drivers along US 75 in Dallas saw nearly a dozen police cars Saturday afternoon sitting atop overpasses and along the shoulder with their lights flashing.
Dallas Police would not confirm why so many patrol cars were stationed along the North Central Expressway, but the move comes just days after the department said it had a plan to prevent a group of motorcyclists from repeating damage to the highway.
Last Memorial Day Weekend nearly 100 motorcyclists barricaded traffic along US 75, performing stunts and spraying graffiti on the highway it was was said to be in honor of a fallen rider. Two men were arrested on graffiti charges after the incident was posted on YouTube and other drivers took pictures of the riders.
Earlier in the week Dallas Police said they would be ready to prevent a repeat of 2011.
"The department has a plan in place to prevent a re-occurrence of the damage done on 75 last year," the department said in a statement. "However, we are unable to disclose the specific strategies and tactics being utilized."
But drivers certainly noticed the extra police presence.
"I saw the police presence," said Andrew Nichols. "And you know every holiday they turn into a no tolerance zone as far as drinking and driving. You know, New Year's, all the holidays, weekends and stuff, that's all we thought it was."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Nichols, a former motorcyclist himself, was unaware of the incident on US 75 last year, or the year before, but wasn't surprised. He says bikers have a strong bond and become like family and they'll do things like that to remember their friends, not that he agrees.
"Shutting it down like that, spray painting and everything else, I don't see that, but that's my opinion," he said.
On line message boards indicated that the group would return to 75 or the new Margaret Hunt Hill bridge this year for the memorial ride. Dallas residents we spoke with said they were glad the police were ready to shut them down.
"It makes me feel a lot better, but I'm still shocked that anyone would try to pull that off, it's amazing," said Claudia Davis.
UPDATE: The 2012 Memorial Stunt Ride may have happened, even with increased police vigilance.
A video uploaded to Vimeo shows stunt riders on I-635 and US-75 and is labeled as the 2012 occurrence of the ride.
WARNING: The video, embedded below, uses a soundtrack that includes many expletives.
