Commissioner backs speed cameras as traffic deaths rise, urges state help for Route 235 and Route 5

A St. Mary's County commissioner said rising traffic accidents and deaths prompted support for speed-camera enforcement and urged the state to take a larger role in improving major state roads.

"This commissioner has been opposed to speed cameras. I've always believed it didn't catch the driver, it just caught the car," the commissioner said, describing previous objections. "But I have seen an increase in traffic accidents and deaths related to traffic. And, therefore, I I supported these speed cameras because let's see if it does in fact reduce fatalities, reduce accidents, reduce, people getting hurt because lord knows that is the priority."

The commissioner emphasized that the most problematic corridors are state roads—Great Mills Road, Route 235 and Route 5—and said the county needs more action from the State Highway Administration and the county's state delegation. "Where we really need help is from the State Highway Administration and via our... state delegation," the commissioner said, adding that the county is not getting sufficient return on state spending in Annapolis for highways and other state-supported services.

The transcript recorded the commissioner's support for cameras as a test to reduce crashes; it did not record a formal vote or how the cameras will be implemented. The commissioner suggested traditional enforcement (placing officers where speeding occurs) as an alternative but said cameras may change driver behavior.

Background: The transcript framed the issue as a trade-off between targeted enforcement by officers versus automated enforcement by speed cameras. The commissioner tied the traffic-safety conversation to state-level responsibility for major corridors and asked county residents to stay cool during hot weather at the close of remarks.