The City of Kingston has launched a two-year photo radar pilot project aimed at reducing driving speeds and improving safety, particularly in school zones. Two speed cameras were installed at Norman Rogers Drive and Lancaster Drive.
“The program is a two-year pilot program,” said Mark Dickson, the city’s transportation systems manager. “We have 16 locations identified across the city that we’ll be rotating these cameras on.”
The initiative is part of the city’s effort to enhance neighbourhood safety, especially near schools. “Specifically near our schools across the city where we have a higher percentage of road users and reducing speeds is critically important to increasing safety,” Dickson said.
Get daily National news
The camera on Lancaster Drive was vandalized shortly after installation, showing early resistance to the program. However, some drivers, such as Josie Mitchell, support the idea. “I like the speeding cameras because I see too many really crazy drivers out there,” she said. “A lot of my friends will be mad at me, but you know what? You’re supposed to drive the right speed, so it is what it is.”
Sgt. Steve Koopman, traffic safety supervisor for Kingston police, offered straightforward advice: “If you don’t speed, you won’t get a ticket. So do not go over, in most cases it’s in a school zone, which is 30 km/h, so stay at 30 kilometres or less. So do yourself a favour; you’re making it safer for the kids on the street.”
The city stated that all money generated from fines will go toward the upkeep of the cameras, with any excess funds allocated to other road safety programs to continue keeping the roads safe.
Comments