HOLMES BEACH – Excessive speed in school zones is a serious safety issue that can be addressed by cameras, according to a recent Manatee County Commission vote.
Cameras will be installed at some Manatee County schools, possibly including Anna Maria Elementary School (AME).
The vote was unanimous to move forward with installation and monitoring of the speed zones. A 6-1 majority approved an agreement with the vendor, RedSpeed, to furnish, install and maintain the speed detection system, comply with FDOT placement and installation specifications and assist Manatee County Public Safety in the public announcement and awareness campaign according to a press release from Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan.
The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner George Kruse.
“There will be warning signs up for about two weeks prior to them being turned on, so drivers will have ample opportunity to be notified the cameras will be in effect,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “And even once the cameras are in place and active, there will still be warning signs that they are active.”
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that his department supports the installation of the cameras if the county includes AME in the project.
“We had a speed study done two weeks ago from a different vendor than the county uses to see what it would be in our area,” Tokajer said. “During the five-day period, there were almost 1,300 violations.”
Tokajer said they are waiting to see if the county is doing this in the entirety of the county, or if the cities are going to make their own decisions. He said he has not yet been informed by the county about the issue, and his department has not been included in the conversation.
Tokajer said that while his department supports the installation of the cameras, saying it will increase driver awareness of the seriousness of speeding in school zones, it will not affect his placement of officers on Gulf Drive in front of the school during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times.
The move comes after the Florida Legislature passed Florida House Bill 657 last April, which authorizes counties to enforce speed limits in school zones using speed detection systems. Drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the posted school zone speed limit during designated hours would receive a $100 ticket in the mail. The speed camera zones would be active only at times when kids are heading to and from school.
