ORLANDO, Fla. – The first phase is set to begin next month, and city leaders say the goal is to reduce crashes and injuries by slowing drivers down in areas where children walk, bike and play.
“Let’s look within our high injury network and let’s create safer places for our children,” one official said.
Rock Lake Elementary among the first locations.
One of the locations in the first phase is Rock Lake Elementary School, where the posted school-zone speed limit is 25 mph. Cameras are expected to be placed near school-zone signage at two points around the campus.
City officials say the Rock Lake area is included because it has seen frequent speeding and is considered a dangerous corridor.
“Tampa Avenue in particular is high traffic — there’s a lot of cut through,” one speaker said, referencing traffic that moves between Colonial Drive and State Road 408.
The city says the cameras are being targeted to areas within the community that have seen serious crashes and fatalities.
“Areas in the community where we’ve had fatalities,” one official said.
The city expects Rock Lake’s two cameras to be running by the first day of school. Once the cameras go live, there will be a 45-day warning period.
Even when school is out, city leaders note children are still often nearby, including at places like the Rock Lake Neighborhood Center behind the elementary school, where kids regularly play.
Enforcement is scheduled to begin Sept. 25. After that, drivers caught speeding in the school zone can expect a $100 ticket mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.