A school zone and speed camera sign alerts drivers on North Washington Street in Easton near the Chesapeake Christian School. Town officials are considering adding a new school zone on the south end of town near Sts. Peter & Paul High School, though further state approval would be required to add photo enforcement for speeding.
A school zone and speed camera sign alerts drivers on North Washington Street in Easton near the Chesapeake Christian School. Town officials are considering adding a new school zone on the south end of town near Sts. Peter & Paul High School, though further state approval would be required to add photo enforcement for speeding.
The Easton Town Council is considering adopting an ordinance to designate the area around Sts. Peter & Paul High School as a school zone. If approved, all roads within a half-mile radius of the school would be included in that zone.
九色视频 鈥 An ordinance introduced to the Easton Town Council on Monday proposes a new school zone for Sts. Peter & Paul High School. It鈥檚 a measure that, if passed, could pave the way for speed cameras to be placed near the school.
Most schools in town are already with speed cameras, stemming from a 2012 speed enforcement program by the Easton Town Council. School zones encompass all roads within a half-mile radius of the designated school.
At that time, the current Sts. Peter & Paul High campus hadn鈥檛 been built. The school broke ground in 2020.
Wedged between Route 50, Easton Parkway and South Washington Street, the high school is surrounded by fast-moving vehicular traffic, though it鈥檚 fairly set back on each side from the roads.
Concerns about safety just east of the school were raised earlier this month after a man riding a bike was killed in what police said was a hit-and-run crash at Route 50 and Woodridge Drive. That same intersection saw a pedestrian struck and killed in February.
Town officials, including council President Don Abbatiello and Police Chief Alan Lowrey, weighed in on the potential for a speed camera to slow down traffic in the area.
While Monday鈥檚 ordinance would not permit the placement of a speed camera, it鈥檚 a necessary step in doing so, said Town Attorney Sharon VanEmburgh.
The State Highway Administration can鈥檛 install speed cameras in non-work zones, but state law does allow for jurisdictions to place cameras in school zones, an SHA spokesman said earlier this month.
However, since the three main roads near Sts. Peter & Paul High 鈥 Route 50, Easton Parkway and South Washington Street 鈥 are state roads, the town can鈥檛 independently install a camera. The SHA spokesman said to place a speed camera on a state road, a jurisdiction must submit a request to SHA and receive a permit.
鈥淲e need other permissions,鈥 VanEmburgh acknowledged Monday. 鈥淏ut first step is we need a school zone.鈥
Ward 3 Councilmember David Montgomery said with the convergence of Route 50 and Easton Parkway just south of the school, it makes for 鈥渁n odd geography.鈥 He said those two roads and the end of South Washington Street would be 鈥済reat places to put speed cameras.鈥
Also included in the ordinance is an amendment to the town鈥檚 fines for motorists caught speeding by cameras in existing school zones. The fine updates fall in line with a passed earlier this year, VanEmburgh said.
If passed, the new tiered system would fine drivers as follows based on how much they exceed the speed limit:
Monday鈥檚 ordinance will reappear at the Town Council鈥檚 next meeting on Nov. 3. A a public hearing on the matter will be held, potentially followed by a council decision.
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