Going Too Fast? Soon There May Be More Eyes On Baltimore Co. Roads
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- More speed cameras are on their way to Baltimore County if the County Council approves a new contract this week.
Monique Griego has more on how many cameras county police are asking for.
They say they want 14 more cameras-- seven more speed cameras and seven more red light cameras.
Ebenezer Road near Perry Hall High School is one of several locations under consideration for a new speed camera.
Police are asking for permission to add seven more to the roster of 15 speed cameras already scattered around the county.
It's an idea that raises a lot questions for some drivers.
"How many people are getting tickets? How much revenue is it generating? And what are they doing with it?" one driver asked.
Those are the kinds of questions County Council members want answers to before they approve a new contract with the traffic camera company already operating the county's speed cameras and eight red light cameras.
An October report from the Maryland Public Interest Research Group warns local governments to review those traffic camera contracts with a critical eye.
Baltimore County Police haven't said exactly where the seven new speed cameras and seven new red light cameras will go, but say the cameras already in place are making school zones safer.
"In several of the locations, the cameras have really radically reduced speeding and changed motorist behavior," Elise Armacost, spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department, said.
The cameras mean millions in revenue to the county and the private company operating them. But to many drivers, adding more is a tough sell.
"Definitely near the schools, but I'm a little on the fence for anywhere else," another driver said.
"There's kids that aren't paying attention all the time so I guess for their safety, it's beneficial," said another.
"They need to take all that stuff out. It's just a money making thing," one person said.
"I don't like the fact that I get a ticket but if it's saving someone's life, then I guess it's worth it," said another.
The County Council is expected to review the traffic camera contract during its work session on Tuesday, but a vote on the contract isn't expected until it meets Jan. 17.
Under the terms of the contract, Baltimore County Police would remain in charge of determining where the traffic cameras are needed most.
