ST. CLOUD, Fla. – The city of St. Cloud voted Thursday to create a School Zone Speed Enforcement Program.
Under this program, the city will use a speed detection system to catch drivers exceeding the posted limit.
The cameras are similar to red light cameras.
They will require signage warning motorists that speed detection systems are in use, and a 30-day public awareness campaign before enforcement.
Drivers who are caught violating the speed limit will be fined $100.
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St. Cloud Police Chief Douglas Goerke said the department conducted a three-day speed measurement study earlier this year from Jan. 30 - Feb. 1.
They collected data from seven different school zones, with 12 speed cameras in use.
The schools include:
- St. Cloud High School
- St. Cloud Middle School
- Michigan Avenue Elementary
- Canoe Creek K-8
- St. Cloud Elementary School
- Lakeview Elementary School
- Neptune Elementary School
Of the 59,589 vehicles that traveled through those areas, there were 3,701 violations when there was a flashing light (flashing beacon) in the school zone.
In the hours between the flashing beacon, there were 1,125 violations.
St. Cloud Elementary had the most violations during beacon enforcement.
Over the three days, 1,654 drivers entered the school zone, and 1,000 of those drives violated the posted speed limit.
The posted speed is 15 mph. The trigger speed is 11 miles over the posted limit, which is 26 mph.
Over 780 drivers were going 26-30 mph in that zone. Some drivers were even caught going up to 50 mph.
St. Cloud City Council designated the city clerk as the local hearing officer who will handle appeals and notices of violations.
If a driver doesn’t pay the speeding fines, a hold will be placed on their registration.
The council members said the study was very eye-opening, calling the data “absolutely unbelievable.”
The contract was approved to obtain the equipment for the program, but it won’t be active by the start of the school year.
The council has not set a program start date yet.
Other municipalities plan to to implement school zone speed camera programs including Leesburg, Palm Bay, and Orlando. Eustis installed cameras in February of this year.
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