Warnings have been issued on Tuesday for the addition of three new speed camera locations within Alexandria school zones.
The Alexandria Transportation & Environmental Services department has announced that these speed cameras will initially operate in warning mode starting from May 30 until the conclusion of the 2022-2023 school year. In alignment with the academic calendar of Alexandria City Public Schools, this period will end on June 15.
Where are the cameras located?
The three designated areas for speed cameras are located within school zones, encompassing four educational institutions. The first location is Francis C. Hammond Middle School, situated on Seminary Road between Kenmore Avenue and North Jordan Street. The second and third locations cover John Adams Elementary School and Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, both positioned on North Beauregard Street between North Highview Lane and Reading Avenue. Lastly, George Washington Middle School is included on Mount Vernon Avenue, spanning from Braddock Road to Luray Avenue. During school zone hours, the speed limit on these roads is set at 15 mph.
Are speed cameras on all the time?
Although the speed cameras will not be operational during the summer months, the city of Alexandria plans to officially launch the speed camera program, complete with citations, for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. If a vehicle is recorded exceeding the speed limit in a school zone by a speed camera, the owner may be subject to a $100 fine. The violations will be verified by a law enforcement officer who will review the captured data, and citations will be sent by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle.
In October 2022, the Alexandria City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that permits the use of speed cameras in both school zones and highway work zones, as permitted by the 2020 Virginia legislation. The city government highlighted the effectiveness of speed cameras in reducing instances of speeding violations, as stated on the city's dedicated speed camera webpage. The implementation of speed cameras aligns with the city's Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate fatal and severe accidents by the year 2028. The city government carefully selected the locations for the speed cameras based on various factors such as historical crash data, traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, and the number and age of students in the respective areas.