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Albemarle County: Speed enforcement cameras coming to school zones next week

Crystal Graham
school crossing sign
(© Sid10 – stock.adobe.com)

Albemarle County is cracking down on speeding in school zones putting enforcement cameras in place to begin after the Labor Day holiday.

The cameras will be operational and issue citations to drivers who exceed 10 mph or more over the posted speed limit in designated school zones adjacent to the Lambs Lane campus which includes Albemarle High School, Journey Middle School and Greer Elementary School.

“The goal of this program is to improve the safety of our community. This technology will allow for a safer and more effective method of making a positive change in driver behavior around our school campuses,” said Captain Jason Marden with the Albemarle County Police Department’s special operations division.

There will be a 45-day warning period during which violators will receive warnings instead of citations. This period runs Sept.  3 to Oct. 18.

Enforcement of citations will begin on Monday, Oct. 21.

“Students cannot learn or thrive in school if they don’t feel safe in their school environment,” said said Helen Dunn, public affairs and strategic communications officer for Albemarle County Public Schools. “These cameras will deter speeding and create a safer environment for our students, families, and employees as they travel to and from school.”

The county has partnered with U.S.-based public safety technology company Altumint to implement the school zone speed camera program.

In similar programs across Virginia, Altumint has observed a 55 percent decrease in speed violations within the first three months.

For more information about the program, visit www.albemarle.org/police.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.