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Supporters urge point-to-point average-speed monitoring on Route 210, vendors and advocates cite high-speed data
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Summary
Delegate Chris Valderrama and local safety groups urged authorization of point-to-point speed monitoring on MD Route 210, presenting pilot data showing many high-speed events and arguing the system prevents 'camera gaming.' Vendors and advocates highlighted privacy safeguards, signage, and District Court appeal rights; committee members probed averaging math and enforcement mechanics.
Delegate Chris Valderrama told the committee HB 421 would allow Prince George’s County to deploy point-to-point (average-speed) monitoring on Maryland Route 210 to address sustained excessive speeds and a long history of deadly crashes.
"Given the continuing elevated death rates on Route 210 and the installation of a proven and accurate state-of-the-art equipment, I would respectfully urge a favorable report of house bill 421," Valderrama said, describing the grassroots 2‑10 safety committee’s work and pilot evidence.
Katie Nash, who manages Prince George’s County’s current automated speed program for vendor Genoptic, described a 24‑hour pilot at four segments where the point‑to‑point configuration caught substantially more violations than the single‑monitor setup: "In that 24 hour period, for 3 segments, we measured some vehicles with an average speed of more than 90 miles per hour... For all 4 segments, we measured 16 speeders proceeding at more than 80 miles per hour," she said.
Proponents argued average-speed enforcement reduces the practice of drivers braking for a camera and then accelerating. They described privacy protections (plate-only photos, blurred images of pedestrians), a right to contest citations in Maryland District Court, and statutory reporting requirements. Local advocates and the 2‑10 safety committee recounted many crashes and urged the committee to prioritize engineering and enforcement together.
Members questioned technical points about averaging mechanics and potential loopholes (for example, whether short bursts of extreme speed could be masked by slower travel on the segment). Genoptic explained enforcement occurs if a motorist exceeds the statutory threshold within the enforcement zone; panelists said signage, multiple measurement points and the option to deploy several measurement points can address gaming concerns. Committee members also asked about distance limits between sensors (the bill sets minimum and maximum spacing) and how appellate costs would be handled; witnesses said court procedures would follow existing automated enforcement statute practice.
The committee did not vote; the sponsor and witnesses said they would work with the judiciary and other stakeholders on technical clarifications ahead of the evening session.
