Councillors looking at even more automated speed cameras

Think twice before you speed in Barrie.

Councillors approved a motion Monday night not only that city staff be authorized to move forward with an automated speed enforcement (ASE) program in school zones and community safety zones, with a spending limit of $300,000 this year, but look at four cameras instead of two and giving consideration to roads around high schools.

“The thinking behind this is we have 23 community safety zones where these cameras are going to go,” said Coun. Clare Riepma. “If we have two cameras that means you have a 10 per cent chance of getting caught speeding. If we have four cameras then you’ve got a 20 per cent chance of getting caught.”

The Ward 1 councillor says the price tag would also need another look from staff.

“We are spending $300,000,” he said. “Does this mean we’re going to spend another $300,000 (with four cameras) or is it another $20,000 or somewhere in between?”

The program could involve leasing four mobile cameras, which would be rotated throughout the city, hiring a new senior transportation technologist, Ontario Transportation Ministry (MTO) licence-plate hook-up costs, Barrie’s portion of the shared costs associated with a joint processing centre or sworn provincial offences officers who review the camera images and issue tickets, traffic signs, postage, and startup membership costs.

And it wouldn’t just be for elementary school areas. City staff would evaluate the feasibility of community safety zones adjacent to secondary schools with the variable flashing, 40 kilometre-per-hour sign upon council request, and report back.

“If we were thinking about one of the high schools, we would specifically ask staff to take a look at that particular high school and add it to the list (of schools getting the ASE program),” said Riepma. “We seem to have only the elementary schools covered, whereas I think that covering high schools is probably a good idea.”

The staff report indicates this program could pay for itself, with two cameras, and any excess revenue could be used for further initiatives, such as more ASE units, red-light cameras or traffic calming measures.

Once the ASE program is operational, city staff anticipate 880 violations per month — based on two camera locations and relocated between wards every two months. 

Peter Leon, communications co-ordinator with Barrie police, said its traffic unit laid approximately 8,600 speeding tickets throughout the city last year. He said the city's police department supports initiatives that promote community and road safety.

Automated speed enforcement is a system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to detect and capture images of vehicles travelling faster than the posted speed limit in school or community safety zones. These types of charges are the responsibility of the vehicle owner and not the driver. They must currently be processed through a Provincial Offences Court office.

The ticket contains a digitized copy of the image and an enlargement of the plate portion. It is mailed to the registered licence-plate holder within 30 days of the offence, outlining next steps and the cost of the associated fine. The registered licence-plate holder gets the ticket, whether or not they were driving the vehicle at the time. There is a monetary fine for those convicted, but demerit points are not issued and the registered owner’s driving record isn’t affected.

The city has already introduced traffic-calming measures such as speed cushions and road diets, which means narrowing a street to slow traffic.

School zones are designated road areas near a school, and typically occur within 150 metres of the front of a school and have reduced speed limits during specific periods of the day. City council policy mandates a 40 km/h posted speed limit in front of elementary schools, as well as for roadways where – due to their geometric design – there is an increased probability of danger when a car drives at 50 km/h or a higher speed limit. On major roads where there are elementary schools a ’40 km/h when flashing’ speed limit is in effect. Barrie has these speed limits – which follow varying time schedules – in 23 elementary school locations. 

Community safety zones are established by municipal council through a bylaw, and cover road areas where there is a higher risk to, or concern for, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and/or others who share the space. Highway Traffic Act fines, including speeding, are doubled in community safety zones and many community safety zones are located close to schools. Barrie has 81 sections of road designated as community safety zones in accordance with the community safety zones bylaw.

All would be eligible if the ASE program is approved by city council at its June 20 meeting.