Since I blogged earlier on the possibility of speed cameras in the area, more movements are happening.
The council will host a public hearing on the issue at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at City Hall, and will vote whether to approve the cameras later that night.
There have been some concerns on the use of speed cameras, as can be seen by the rendering of a speed camera signs (on the left) by some. Many think they are used to generate revenue for local municipalities, rather than ensuring safety.
Things seem to be different in the proposed cameras – they will primarily be installed near our local schools.
During a Feb. 16 council work session, Lanham-based speed camera firm Optotraffic, which has not entered into any agreement with the city, outlined areas surrounding Hollywood, Paint Branch, Al-Huda, Holy Redeemer and Friends Community schools as potential camera sites.
In recent weeks, speed cameras in our neighboring county MoCo have also raised some concerns. According to this article, officials think Cops fighting speed camera tickets hurts county’s image.
Lon Anderson of AAA Mid-Atlantic separates camera programs into two categories: The ones that are concerned with safety and the ones that are concerned with raising money. He supports the former and condemns the latter.