Town of Sykesville Speed Camera letter from Town Manager

 Town of Sykesville Speed Camera letter from Town Manager

Dear Sykesville Resident,

On Tuesday, May 4, 2010 Town residents will have the opportunity to vote in a special election to decide whether or not the Town will retain a recently adopted ordinance that allows the Town to use photo enforcement to help address the chronic speeding problem in Town.  The election is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be held at the Town House. 

We have received a number of emails and phone calls from residents who have expressed concern about outside special interest groups that have knocked on your door gathering signatures on a petition to oppose the adopted ordinance.  Some of you have indicated that they were spreading misinformation about several issues including the Town’s rationale and intent for adopting the ordinance to allow photo enforcement.

In the interest of dispelling some of this misinformation we felt that it would be appropriate to outline why the Town adopted the ordinance.  We will send two informational letters, this one and another one a week or so later.  This first letter will describe (1) the speeding problem in Town and its potential consequences, (2) how we have tried to reduce speeding over the past decade and how effective these efforts have been, and  (3) other possible alternatives to reduce speeding. 

The second letter will explain (1) how the photo enforcement program would work, and (2) the benefits of photo enforcement. 

The Speeding Problem

For well over a decade the Town has wrestled with the speeding problem.  In fact, speeding has consistently been the number one complaint of town residents for many years.  We have heard from concerned parents that speeding in our neighborhoods has and continues to present a serious safety hazard to children and adults alike. 

Speeding in our neighborhoods increases the likelihood of serious injury and even death.  Findings of a 2002 National Highway Safety Administration study revealed that a child struck by a vehicle traveling less than 20 mpg has a 90 percent chance of surviving, while a child struck by a vehicle traveling faster than 35 mpg has a 95 percent chance of dying.  This study, and others, confirms that speeding can kill.

Our police department has conducted numerous speed surveys in targeted areas.  While some have shown moderate speeding, others have confirmed what residents have been telling us for years:  we have a speeding problem in Town. 

How Have we Addressed The Speeding Problem in the Past

To combat this chronic problem the Town has utilized a variety of means to try to reduce the speeding problem.  The Town has increased its educational outreach to discourage speeding.  We have constructed speed humps and installed rumble strips.  We have installed additional signage and deployed an electronic “Your Speed Is” sign that shows motorists how fast they are traveling.  We have parked unmanned police vehicles in strategic places and have increased radar enforcement. 

In fact, we have utilized about a dozen different strategies to try to reduce speeding.  A list of some of these is available on a fact sheet that can be found on the Town’s web page.   Unfortunately, these measures have not proven effective in consistently reducing speeding in our neighborhoods and, as a result, the problem remains.

Are There Other Alternatives?

Are there other alternatives that may reduce speeding in addition to the ones we have already implemented?  Yes, however, they can be very costly and may or may not be effective in certain applications.  For example, like speed humps, installing “chokers” can help reduce speeding at targeted areas but may not help on other parts of the street.  In some cases “chokers” can simply move a speeding problem to another part of the street.  The cost for “chokers” can also be significant, even greater than humps. 

The Town could physically narrow streets.  Research has shown that this can reduce speeds, however, this can be extremely costly and often reduces on-street parking.

We could also have an even greater police presence with increased radar enforcement.  Given the limited size of our police force and the fact that calls for police service have been increasing every year over the past decade, this would likely require hiring additional personnel.   This too would be very costly. 

With respect to cost it is important to remember that the Town does not currently receive any part of the fines that are paid for speeding tickets.  These funds go directly to the State.  So, while increasing radar enforcement can reduce speeds, at least temporarily, it will likely require additional funding; none of which the Town would be able to recover.  

The above, and other alternatives may or may not work depending upon a number of factors, but it is clear that they are very costly.  With the Town’s limited budget and in light of the current economic climate raising additional funds to implement these alternatives is not feasible. 

Sincerely,

Matthew H. Candland

Town Manager

 

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