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County police cite 90%+ speed reductions from school‑zone cameras; two more school zones recommended
Summary
Police reported more than a 90% reduction in speeding where automated school-zone cameras were installed and recommended adding Matoka Elementary and Jamestown High School to the program, aiming for camera operation by the August school year start.
Chief Jamieson updated the Board of Supervisors on the county's automated speed enforcement (ASE) program, reporting sustained speed reductions at existing camera locations and recommending the program expand to two additional school zones.
The chief said the seven existing school-zone camera locations have yielded more than a 90% reduction in speeding compared with pre‑installation speed-study baselines. Jamestown High School recorded about 33% of drivers exceeding the school‑zone threshold in both morning and afternoon counts during a recent study; Matoka Elementary showed 21% in the morning and 38% in the afternoon.
"We've seen over 90% reduction in speeding in those 7 zones," Chief Jamieson told the board, adding that the program's objective is safety, not revenue. The chief and other board members noted the county still issues hundreds of camera citations monthly in aggregate but said the substantial drop in speed violations is the program's key metric.
Staff recommended proceeding with cameras in the two study schools (Matoka and Jamestown High). According to the vendor estimate presented, installations could be operational in time for the new school year in August, subject to contract and equipment timelines.
Board members raised practical concerns: clarity on posted enforcement times (schools often adjust schedules and early release days), potential signage costs if times are posted, light/sun visibility at specific locations, and neighborhood impacts from night work if installations or paving require off‑hours construction. VDOT and county staff described technical and operational constraints, and staff agreed to follow up with answers on signage, timing, and public outreach before implementation.
