January 17, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Curbing speeding in school zones!
Although the Smithville Police Department does what it can using various enforcement techniques including the issuance of citations, speeding through school zones is a persistent problem.
In order to enhance enforcement during morning and afternoon school traffic while freeing up officers to concentrate on other duties, the City of Smithville has begun discussions with Blue Line Solutions, LLC of Chattanooga to eventually establish automated school zone photo (speed camera) enforcement at no cost to the city using laser-based LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology.
Similar to automated license plate readers, Blue Lines’ laser-based LiDAR technology provides precise automated speed enforcement, ensuring that only vehicles violating speed limits are cited. ASETs identify vehicles and capture their speed through the use of a laser beam. The cameras capture the tag number of vehicles traveling over the speed limit in school zones. Violators are then sent a citation in the mail. The penalty is a $50 fine but unlike a ticket issued by law enforcement agencies, the citation is considered a civil infraction and can’t go against a driver’s record or insurance. The city and Blue Line Solutions would split the revenues from payment of fines. The citations could still be challenged in the Smithville Municipal Court.
During a workshop Monday night, the mayor and aldermen met with Ryan Moore of Blue Line Solutions to learn more about the service.
Following the methodology of the successful “Click It or Ticket” campaign, Moore explained that Blue Line emphasizes the importance of public information and education combined with enforcement to change driving behaviors. Blue Line Solutions is dedicated to “strive for zero” – zero crashes, zero injuries, and zero fatalities, particularly in school zones.
Should the city enter into a contract (possibly for two years) with Blue Line Solutions, a traffic study would first be commissioned and funded by the city (estimated $15,000) and then Blue Line would reimburse the city. Moore provided results of a preliminary five-day traffic study which had already been done recently in the school zones on Highway 70 & 56 in Smithville.
Once another traffic study is conducted as required, Blue Line would install the technology including cameras, lights, and signage at the school zones on highway 70 at DCHS and DeKalb Middle School, on highway 56 near Northside Elementary School, and on highway 56 near the DeKalb Christian Academy. Blue Line would recoup its cost over time from the city’s share of fine proceeds.
“We will erect a photo enforced sign on every side street into a school zone and at the end of each school zone before you go in, we will put up a radar feedback sign on a 14-foot pole using LiDAR single beam technology. After they (motorists) pass that last sign, they will have between 300 and 600 feet to slow down. This will be lane specific meaning we will monitor both lanes going east and west on highway 70 & 56, so it catches everybody coming and going both ways,” said Moore.
In order to acclimate motorists to the new service, violators would receive a warning (by mail) for exceeding school zone speed limits for the first 30 days following the program’s start. After that, they would receive citations.
“We would put $225,000 into your infrastructure or $75,000 per school zone,” said Moore. “All the violations will come to us in Chattanooga. Our people are certified just as a dispatcher. A POST certified officer also has to review the citations. Tickets are then sent out by us and we collect and take care of all the money. On the 15th of every month you (city) will get a revenue report on how many people paid their fines,” said Moore.
“Our goal is to change driving habits,” explained Moore. “In Georgia, we have 300 cameras and cut speeding down by 94. 9% across the state last year”.
If the city enters into a contract with Blue Line Solutions, the service is not expected to be implemented until perhaps the start of the 2025-26 school year.