Charles City looks at speed cameras

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The city of Charles City is considering installing a series of automated speed cameras following a presentation during the City Council’s workshop meeting on Wednesday, July 26.

Police Chief Hugh Anderson has been working with Cory Kuzyk, the director of strategic accounts with Altumint Inc., to determine how speed cameras could be utilized to slow down traffic on the city’s major entries and exits.

One major traffic artery examined was South Grand Avenue, where a five-day study of northbound traffic recorded that out of 10,121 vehicles, 1,208 were captured exceeding 10 mph over the posted speed limit.

It is hoped that the presence of a speed camera will serve as enough of a deterrent for speeders that they will slow down sooner as they come into the city.

“We have very serious accidents out there,” said Chief Anderson. “We can’t be out there 24/7.”

The mayor and council were open to the idea of installing speed cameras, but did express reservations about how they would be received within the community and how they would affect the city’s reputation in the greater area.

Kuzyk acknowledged that automated cameras are a controversial topic and that some cities have become known for camera placements and policies that feel like “speed traps,” particularly when placed on streets where speed limits change.

Addressing South Grand Avenue specifically, which transitions from 45 mph to 35 mph, Kuzky stated that the camera placement during his study was capturing vehicles that were well within the 35 mph area.

It was noted that a previous DOT study on that road found similar speeding patterns and recommended that the speed limit be increased to match the common speed of the drivers.

If speed cameras were implemented, the cameras would be placed at between three to five locations to record traffic coming and going from the city. Cars caught exceeding a certain amount over the speed limit would be recorded and their information sent to the Police Department for review, at which point a local police officer would determine whether or not to pursue enforcement.

If it’s decided to act on the information, a notice would be mailed to the driver, who would then be able to either pay a fine or dispute the civil infraction. The billing would go through Altumint Inc., which would keep a portion of the payment as its fee for installing and maintaining the system.

Maintaining a level of human judgment and discretion in the process was an encouraging feature for Chief Anderson, who admitted he also struggled with balancing his own reservations about speed cameras against their potential benefits to public safety.

“It’s not a gotcha thing,” said Anderson. “We’re not here to get people.”

The council didn’t make an informal consensus to move forward with the proposal or not, asking for more data about traffic patterns and potential alternatives to encourage speed reduction.