ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Speed cameras are coming to school zones in Alexandria.
Editor's Note: The video above shows the Alexandria City Council approving the use of speed cameras in school zones aired on Oct. 15, 2022.
This year, three speed cameras will be installed by the City of Alexandria in the following school zones:
- Francis Hammond Middle School (Seminary Road, between Kenmore Avenue and North Jordan Street)
- John Adams Elementary School and Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School (North Beauregard Street, between North Highview Lane and Reading Avenue)
- George Washington Middle School (Mount Vernon Avenue, between Braddock Road and Luray Avenue)
City officials picked the above locations using data that considered factors such as crash history, traffic volumes, vehicle speed, age and the number of students.
The cameras are set to be installed in the spring of 2023, after which the program will go through a testing and warning period.
The program will be active for the 2023-24 school year.
Officials say each school zone is around 1/4 mile in length and has a 15 MPH speed limit when school signs are flashing. Signs will be displayed to let drivers know they are entering a speed camera zone.
In October 2022, the Alexandria City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the use of speed cameras in school and work zones.
Officials say funding for five speed cameras is included in the Fiscal Year 2023 Approved Budget.
The City of Alexandria is also committed to providing Safe Routes to School, and vehicle speed is among the top concerns cited by guardians when asked about their children walking or biking to school.
Officials claim speed cameras are a proven safety measure that can reduce the number of crashes by more than 50%, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).
The speed cameras will automatically record speed limit violations using radar technology.
After an officer affirms a violation, a speeding citation will be mailed to the vehicle’s owner, lessee, or renter. The maximum fine is $100.
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