Truckee California, Atlanta Georgia and Winnipeg, Canada are a few of the latest cities to deploy radar speed signs in a big way. The growing acceptance of these traffic-calming displays is particularly noteworthy given the correlating decline in the popularity of speedbumps and radar speed cameras.

radar speed signs' increasing popularity

According to Sam Katz, the mayor of Winnipeg, their recent installation of seven solar-powered radar speed signs is “anything but a cash grab,” – one of the major concerns of Winnepeg citizens opposed to speed cameras. Studies show that radar speed signs are highly effective at slowing cars without being obtrusive or financially threatening (spelled t.i.c.k.e.t). Katz made it clear that none of the new displays will take pictures or be used to issue tickets.

In California, the city of Truckee took advantage of funding provided by the federal Safe Routes to School program to buy and install six flashing crosswalk signs and radar speed signs. The displays are being permanently mounted along a busy school route and are intended to be operational in time for the 2010-11 school year.

And then last year, residents of Wildwood, Georgia, a city just North of downtown Atlanta, used the data collected by a radar speed sign to convince local police that there was a major speeding problem around their local school zones. Surprising to many who analyzed follow up data, that the majority of speeders were local residents. This, however, coincides with findings of numerous traffic-calming studies and highlights one of the key reasons radar speed signs work so well. Most speeders are just distracted drivers. Radar speed signs are an unobtrusive way to redirect driver attention to their current driving conditions. And that doesn’t require photos or ticketing.

Smile-you're on Arizona camera!

In our last post, we discussed the rising countrywide objection to radar speed cameras. While citizens are forming protests throughout the U.S., it seems that the epicenter of activities consistently comes from the good citizens of Arizona. I now know why.

Last week, a colleague and I had the opportunity (?) to conduct business in Arizona. We flew into Phoenix and then drove about 200 miles northwest to a little spit of a town in the dessert called Ash Fork. During the three-hour drive up Hwy 17 and across Hwy 89, we passed thousands of cactus, lots of sand, a few dead coyote carcasses and, every once in awhile, a passenger car or two. Oh yes, we also passed about 29 police cars (we started counting them) hiding off somewhere on the side of the virtually deserted highway route.  

We also passed one other thing. Out there in the middle of nowhere, where seeing other cars is so rare that it’s apparently customary to wave as you go by, we drove by several red light cameras! That’s right.  Apparently, the jackrabbits are tying up the state’s phone lines calling in complaints about speeders.  Either that, or I suspect that these cameras in the dessert are for no other purpose than to generate revenue for government coffers.

It’s understandable to me that a large number of Arizona citizens are outraged by this practice. While speeding can be a serious issue, so too can be the abusive and over zealous use of obtrusive technology.  And it looks like the good guys may have one a major victory.

As of this week, Arizona has decided to cancel its program to place radar speed cameras along Phoenix highways and in vans parked across the state. According to a recent news article, July 15th will be the final day for the 78 fixed and mobile photo-enforcement monitors employed by the state’s Department of Public Safety.

This doesn’t end the use of photo speed cameras entirely, as local government photo-enforcement contracts will still be in effect. However, in addition to the canceling the Phoenix-area project, there is a bill before the state’s governor that would also ban the use of photo speed cameras within 600 feet of a posted speed-limit change (except around school zones). If passed, the law would go into effect the end of July.

As we mentioned in our last post, speeding drivers has become a growing concern, especially around school zones, work zones, neighborhoods and other places where pedestrian and driver safety is at particular risk. That doesn’t seem to be the case here. More importantly, there are alternative ways to effectively slow cars and increase safety that do not conjure up feelings of Big Brother.  We of course, are fans of speedcheck radar speed signs. They are proven to be highly effective and do not require objectionable intrusions or pickpockets tactics.

To many Arizonians, the speed cameras had little to do with increasing safety and much to do with generating revenue.  In many cases, equipment providers are allotted a percentage of the income that these camera systems generate for the city/county/state. Now that’s just asking for abuse.

There is a growing opposition to the use of photo radar cameras that is sweeping the nation. Organizations such as Photo Radar Scam, CameraFraud and ACAPR are popping up across the country with one mission in mind – to make the use of photo radar illegal for traffic enforcement applications.

Over the last few years, their voices appear to be getting louder – and government officials are starting to take notice. Courts in Alaska, for instance, struck down as unconstitutional, the state’s use of photo radar signs. A judge in Denver, Colorado ruled that tickets issued on the bases of radar cameras were not legal and citizens in several cities in Maryland, Ohio and Texas recently began petition drives to ban the use of these devices.

So far, grass routes opposition to red light cameras has gotten them banned in over a dozen states including Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Group like Photo Radar Scam say their beef with the traffic enforcement technology is not about interfering with their ability to break traffic laws, but instead, about their effectiveness at reducing accidents, the legal constitutionality of their use, and their intrusive nature. More importantly, they believe photo cameras are used simply as a means of generating revenue for the cities where they are being used.

According to a recent news report, states like New York are using speed cameras to offset budget deficits. Governor David Paterson recently announced that he planned to install 50 new radar vans in the state of New York in hopes of generating $96 million in profit by 2012.

So where does this leave speedcheck radar speed signs?

Very well thank you. One of the nice things about speedcheck signs is that they typically do not take pictures of passing drivers or send speeding data to law enforcement for ticketing purposes. While many of these displays collect traffic data, they record only broad statistical information that can be used to calculate the effectiveness of the signs.

And they are effective. These unobtrusive displays simply remind drivers to check their speed and adjust accordingly. Several recent studies have shown that radar speed displays are one of the most effective means of slowing cars around neighborhoods, school zones, work zones and other places where pedestrian safety is of particular concern.

So when you see a radar speed sign, slow down and smile. You are NOT on candid camera but you are helping keep our streets safe.

Choosing the Right Radar Speed Sign

1.  Displays with built-in data collection features can be valuable, saving staff time in conducting future studies or proving effectiveness.

2.  Choose sign features based upon need. In some cases, simple signs may be best. Additional features such as data collection may increase technical issues that require management. Also, additional features typically come with additional costs.

3.  Choose a sign that provides a settable speed threshold limit. This prevents drivers from testing to see how high they can get the display to register.

I would like to add a few to this list.

1. Choose signs that look official. There are lots of models out on the market today. Some simply look wrong.  MUTCD provides design guidelines that govern everything from the color and shape of the sign to the size and style of lettering. Even if your application does not require MUTCD compliance, the effectiveness of the display is contingent upon driver perceptions of its legitimacy.
2. Vandal resistance. Displays will get abused. Choose a radar speed sign that is resistant to being hit, slammed and shot at. Solid-state designs are best. Shields protecting the display are important.
3. Easy to repair. If a display is damaged, it’s important that a non expert can easily fix it - in the field. Some radar speed signs require that the display be taken down and sent back to the factory. Others can be easily repaired right from where they are mounted.
4. Clear, visible and focused. Today’s top rated display signs offer designs that make them clearly visible only to THOSE DRIVERS BEING TARGETED. Poorly designed signs can easily distract unintended drivers.

The Bellevue study has several tips for radar speed sign placement. These include:

1. 

   Mounting considerations - radar speed signs

   Set up the radar speed sign at a location that has a minimum distance of 300 feet of clear sight between the display and the drivers.

2. Choose a spot with a convenient power source nearby. If this is not possible, consider solar powered displays.
3. Solar powered signs work best where light levels are adequate for the sign application.
4. Chose a spot where the light from the display will not disrupt homeowners.
5. Avoid obstructions. Try to avoid locations where parked cars and other objects may obstruct the view of oncoming motorists.

Once the location for the radar speed sign is chosen. The Bellevue report provides the following tips on installation:

1. Install the sign at an appropriate angle so that the radar can pick up passing motorists (specified by the manufacturer).
2. Mount with concrete footing.
3. Install at a minimum height of seven feet from the bottom edge of the sign to the ground.
4. Include a posted speed limit sign above the radar speed sign.

We really owe the city of Bellevue our gratitude for sharing this information and personal experience with the rest of us concerned with traffic safety. Their report shares important data that serves as an excellent guide for others looking to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety.