Speed Cameras: How To Use The Money?

According to a >helpful article in today’s Gazette, in its first year of operation, Our Fair City’s speed camera project has nabbed more than 130,000 speeders.

Recently, some have complained that such speed cameras, which are installed in visible locations, and only in residential or school zones where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less, are somehow unfair infringements on individuals’ “right” to break the law by speeding. Or something like that — you can tell I reject that argument. I am completely in favor of speed cameras.

In any event, 130,000 tickets times the $23.75 each one nets for the City come to more than $3 million. As part of the deal that allows the cameras, as I understand it, that money must go to pedestrian safety.

The police have already begun making some plans for the funds. According to the Gazette article, Special Operations Bureau Commander Capt. Robert J. Rappoport let the reporter know that:

[T]hat money would be used to hire and equip two new police officers, including the purchase of a new police cruiser. The officers would focus of traffic safety. . . . [M]oney has [also] already been budgeted for a Speed Awareness trailer, which is left on the side of a road and flashes a driver’s speed as they approach. [He] added that future money could be allocated to extend sidewalks near schools. A half-time position could be created to address sidewalk issues, increase street lighting and analyze traffic-calming measures with the revenue from the citations.

Still, it’s a hefty chunk and they may run out of ideas.

Rockville Central friend and Twinbrook Civic Association president Christina Ginsberg writes with an interesting idea along with a suggestion:

May I suggest as a first project that the City consider a City-owned shuttle bus to run through the Twinbrook, East Rockville, and Lincoln Park neighborhoods and connect those neighborhoods on a frequent and regular basis to Rockville’s two Metro stations? This is especially a concern in our neighborhood as we have many residents aging in place who need supplemental transport.

I hope that those neighborhoods which also have speed cameras, most noteably West End and the Fallsmead/Fallsgrove/Rockshire community serviced by the Wootton Parkway installation, are considering what pedestrian safety improvements necessary for their areas can be funded through this mechanism.

Good idea and worth exploring — the bus could be zero-emission and maybe even become a showcase for our Green City goals (one of Mayor Susan Hoffmann’s key issues).

But the overall point is important: it is worth thinking creatively about what kinds of pedestrian safety improvements would be worthwhile.

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