Syracuse Common Councilors have numerous questions about the new camera-enforced school speed zones that went live over a month ago. More than 60,000 drivers were mailed warnings in the first two weeks.
Questions ranged from speed limit sign and camera placement to the location of the actual school zones. Councilors Rasheada Caldwell had two in mind near Nottingham High School and Syracuse Latin School.
“Meadowbrook. Why is it [school zone] on Genesee and not Meadowbrook?” Caldwell asked. “What about Colvin Street? Because to me, there's no kids crossing that way. There's very few houses. If anything, it should be up Jamesville.”
Councilor Pat Hogan wondered about the school zone near Fowler High School.
“Most of the kids enter the school from off of Wilbur," he said. "It seems like that whole part of Geddes Street is a slow school zone.”
Chief operating officer Connor Muldoon said many students attending Fowler come from the near west side and cross Geddes St. He said when considering the placement of cameras and signs, the city and the contractor stuck mostly with the existing school zones, where children often cross busy streets.
Muldoon said police, Department of Public Works, and city engineers are closely monitoring driver behavior and may make adjustments in the future. He said they didn’t always have the flexibility they needed.
“We're trying to find the right balance between property owners who are saying, 'please don't put this camera that's in the right of way in such a visible location' and then making sure that motorists have the appropriate signage that is compliant with all of the traffic regulations and things like that," he said. "It still very much will be an ongoing effort to evolve the program.”
Councilor Caldwell said she wants to extend the 60-day warning period.
“I would put a hold on any fine in November until there's a comprehensive study on the side streets, is it [school zone signs] on both sides, and make sure that people are knowledgeable," she said. "We want people to be safe, but we also don't want to penalize them because of something we didn't do.”
Warnings continue through Oct. 31st. Starting Nov. 3, it’s $50 for the first fine.
