County Places Speed Cameras In Private School Zones
Devices at Bais Yaakov and St. Ursula's schools are the first in private school zones.
Photos
Speed cameras will be placed near Baltimore County private schools for the first time in the program's two year history.
The cameras on Smith Avenue near Bais Yaakov School in Pikesville and on Harford Road between Putty Hill and I-695 near St. Ursula School in Parkville are part of five new cameras announced late Friday by the Baltimore County Police Department.
"We're concerned about safety in school zones, period—whether they are in public or private school zones," said Elise Armacost, a police department spokeswoman.
In addition to the cameras near the private schools, the department plans to install cameras at three other locations:
- Winands Elementary - Scotts Level Road between Winands Road and Autrim Lane (both directions) in Randallstown.
- Loch Raven Academy - Goucher Boulevard between Putty Hill Avenue and LaSalle Road in Towson.
- Seven Oaks Elementary - Seven Courts Drive between Joppa Road and Proctor Lane in Perry Hall.
Armacost could not immediately provide information on how the locations for the new cameras, including the two in private school zones, were selected.
The five new cameras are scheduled to be installed over the next few days, according to a police department statement released late Friday afternoon.
The cameras will issue warnings for the first 30 days after they are activated to motorists who travel through the school zones at speeds in excess of 12 mph over the 25 mph speed limits.
After that, tickets with $40 fines will be issued.
Earlier this year the county authorized a new contract with ACS State and Local Solutions that allowed for the expansion of the speed camera and red light camera programs. A year ago, the County Council removed the cap on the number of speed cameras that could be placed in the county.
The new contract requires ACS State and Local Solutions to engineer as many as 60 sites that could be used as future locations for the moveable cameras.
The county budget for the year beginning July 1 includes $4 million for the speed camera program—an increase of $1.8 million over the fiscal year 2012 budget, according to the county auditor's office.
ACS State and Local Solutions will be paid based on the number of citations issued.
The company is expected to be paid nearly $6.2 million for the initial five years of the contract and more than $9.1 million for the entire seven-year term.
The county expects the cameras to generate about $1.2 million in revenues between February 2012 and January 2013. The program is expected to cost about $1.1 million during that same time based on an estimate of 55,440 paid speed camera citations, according to the county auditor's office.
Last fall, the number of speed camera citations more than doubled between September and October after the police department relocated a number of cameras. One camera moved to South Rolling Road has accounted for 11,658 citations since October 2011.
In March, the total number of citations issued by all of the county's cameras totaled 6,914—about an 18 percent increase over the previous April.
The five new speed camera locations announced Friday brings the total number of speed cameras in the county to 22.
Other cameras are located in the following school zones:
- Middle River Middle School, 800 block of Middle River Road (both directions)
- Eastern Technical High School, 1100 block of Mace Avenue (both directions)
- Catonsville High School, 400 block of South Rolling Road (both directions)
- Arbutus Middle School, 1200 block of Sulphur Spring Road (eastbound)
- Woodlawn High School, 1700 block of Woodlawn Drive (southbound)
- Woodlawn Middle School/Woodmoor Elementary School, 3000 block of Essex Road (northbound)
- Milford Mill Academy, 3800 block of Washington Avenue (southbound)
- Wellwood International School, 2900 block of Smith Avenue (eastbound)
- Old Court Middle School, 4600 block of Old Court Road (eastbound)
- Rodgers Forge/Dumbarton Middle School, 200 block of Stevenson Lane (eastbound)
- Halstead Academy, 7500 block of Hillsway Road (southbound)
- Padonia Elementary School, 9800 block of Greenside Drive (northbound)
- Dulaney High School, 200 block of Padonia Road (southbound)
- Parkville High School, 2700 block of Putty Hill Avenue (eastbound)
- Dundalk Middle School/Dundalk Elementary School, 7000 block of Dunmanway (westbound)
- Perry Hall High School, 4600 block of Ebenezer Road (both directions)
- Johnnycake Elementary School, 5900 block of Craigmont Road (both directions)
Eastsider
6:46 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
And they say its not about money.
Molly Brooks
8:55 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
A camera is seriously needed at WESTCHESTER ELEMENTARY on Old Frederick in Catonsville. We have several traffic issues at that intersection and I've seen children nearly hit by speeders.
ZIG
10:51 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
It is not about money! What problem do you have with saving children's lives. The way inconsiderate animals speed an violate other laws in our area endagers childrens lives.
Chad
11:00 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
At 12k per month per camera, if it were about safety it would be less costly and probably more effective to hire and place two officers full time in each of the school zones.They can not only deal with speeders, but other offenders as well.
Spring Heeled Jack
11:17 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Chad makes a good point. Why not just have two police cars out on the road when schools start and let out. They could handle more issues then just speeding if needed.
DC has lots of speed cameras and they openly said it is 50% to slow down speeders and 50% to make money for road improvements. These cameras in Baltimore County are for the same premise 50/50.
Other Tim
4:24 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Because then all the whiners who think they should be able to drive any way they want would complain that the cops should be out catching criminals instead of writing tickets.
Evets
6:43 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Here is a project for Irvin: Get a chair and park yourself on the sidewalk at the Seven Oaks Senior center at Seven Courts Drive when school lets out.. Keep a tally of the number of cars that pull out of there with children in the front seat, no seat belt on, and mom (or dad) talking on a cell phone. You might be astonished, but only if you truly believe that safety is the issue.
BTW, Sevens Oaks ES prides itself in having no children walking to or from school. When my son was there, there were no children that walked to or from school using Seven Courts Drive. That may have changed, but I doubt it. Speed cameras are all about revenue, with "protecting the children" as the justification. Do children walk along Joppa Road, sometimes crossing where they should not? You betcha. Do people drive on Joppa Road as if it is the Indy 500? You betcha. Are there speed cameras on Joppa Road? Nah. Why is it that the only place we need to protect our children is in front of schools?
People who speed and get tickets deserve the tickets. No argument there. But let's stop pretending that this is about safety. It is about money.
Hank
4:44 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
I haven't had a speeding ticket in my life so don't assume that good drivers who don't speed aren't against this Orwellian method of governing.
Snake
11:17 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Follow the money. Which politicians have a financial interest in ACS State and Local Solutions! Or have friends and family that do. Its for the children and those poor underpaid teachers are the 2 biggest lies goverment uses to overspend your money to buy friends and make money themselves.
Bill Howard
11:42 am on Saturday, June 2, 2012
This is about money. I do not speed but I resent Big Brother Baltimore County treating me like a suspect. Between the spy cameras and speed bumps being placed everywhere it's just not worth shopping in the area. More people will shop online as government turns roads into obstacle courses.
William Lutostanski Jr
12:33 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
St Ursula has a crossing guard that works before and after school. Seems like a waste of 12k per month to have a camera there. That is if its truly for the children. Oh and by the way speed cameras still allow people to speed 12 mph over the speed limit. So are they really slowing traffic down to a " safe " speed ?
moe green
5:23 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
The county charter requires the police chief to live in Baltimore county.
Where does Jim Johnson live?
Buzz Beeler
9:27 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
Moe, that is a very good question. I see another blog on that one. You won't hear a peep from anyone on that subject, but you might add a few more miles on the odometer. LA Confidential, "Hush, Hush!" Another scandal like that might not just rock the boat, it might sink it.
Arbutus Town Crier
12:24 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Buzz ,Sink it, and the one that only focus on their own neighborhood where property increases and let other neighborhood decay, Its all about GREEN and I'm not talking the treehugers.
Molly Brooks
11:51 pm on Saturday, June 2, 2012
If you're not speeding or breaking the law then what do you care if there's a camera or not? The county needs to make revenue some how - why not get it from people breaking the law? Money talks.... how else do you deter bad behavior?
Arlow
12:29 am on Sunday, June 3, 2012
That's why the Constitution says that your houses and personal papers should be subject to indiscriminate search, since, if you're doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about! I'm waiting for radar equipped drones next.
Hank
4:42 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
I second a camera be placed in Molly Brooks home so we can make sure she isn't breaking the law. I'm sure she's not so she shouldn't care.
Lily
11:55 am on Saturday, June 9, 2012
awesome, what other behavior can we tax? *sarcasm*
DougW
5:48 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
I'm glad it's only $40. I got one from Ohio recently for $85. What can I say, it was "Rush hour" ,and I was trying to. With a 12 mile over the limit allowance, it's more of a "Stupid tax" than anything else. Going that fast deserves it.
Stephanie Pullara Vancura
7:55 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Put on at Belair Road and Willow Avenue. Yes there is a crossing gaurd there, but she is putting herself at risk too with all the speeders... If your not breaking the law by speeding, they aren't getting your money. I agree with Molly, maybe this will deter some of the speeders
M. Sullivan
9:37 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Based on the numbers alone, it looks like ACS is going to make a heck of a lot more money on this deal than Baltimore County. Either they have some great lobbyists or some of our wonderful representatives are getting their pockets lined! It's interesting to note that Xerox purchased ACS in 2010 for $6.5 Billion. I guess they know a cash cow when they see one!
ZIG
10:58 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
It has been suggested that i station myself on a street and note the various offenses. I have done that!. I am the neighborhood rep to the local precinct. They have done the best they can to catch the chronic traffic law violators. They need help. Speed cameras help. Lets save some children from these animals!
Buck Harmon
12:47 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
The fact that you refer to other human beings as animals in a derogatory way would indicate that your thoughts on this matter are a bit out of balance...
ZIG
1:56 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Chronic violators run stop signsandaughter across the st and many speed up and down Chartley Blvd at KILLER rates of sreet to the shopping centerpeed. These speeders are animals and should not be on the road. I am disabled and can not take my grandaughter across the street to the Chartley shopping center. Most people stop when they see my cane and my grandaughter. many do not. They are animals. If I refer this way to haman beings, they have earned it. I will start logging tag numbers car descriptions and time of day and forward them to the precinct.
Brian H
8:46 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Hey Irvin. The only animal here is you. The fact that an old decrepit idiot like you has not been struck is testament to the compassion of man. Stay out of the road grandpa.
BN
2:14 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
I'm surprised there's not mention of the fact that 84 cents of every dollar collected goes to the camera operators, leaving the county with only 16 cents per dollar. Where's the outrage for that?
Buzz Beeler
5:41 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Arlow, that is the key question - DISCLOSURE!
DougW
10:28 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
didja ever check in at www.platewire.com? It's a great place to post complaints about other drivers.
Tim
11:54 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
what's that going to accomplish, exactly?
DougW
6:43 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
tim, it will accomplish about as much as dialog on here, Nothing, except to allow people to blow off steam. I'm not saying it's a great web page, but it is an interesting study in humanity. Just like reading comments here.