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Light Drizzle Fog/Mist Fast drivers beware
Camera installed on Merrick Road to curb school zone speeding
Local motorists may have noticed a new speed camera outside St. Christopher School on Merrick Road in Baldwin. With classes now back in session, motorists who exceed the speed limit will receive an $80 ticket for speeding in a school zone.
The camera went live on Sept. 3, the first day of school. Drivers must stay within 9 mph of the posted 25 mph speed limit, or they will see a flash in their rearview mirror.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill in June authorizing Nassau and Suffolk counties to begin a pilot program with cameras in school zones — one camera per school district. The County Legislature approved a contract amendment with American Traffic Solutions to install the cameras. The county expects them to generate $14.2 million this year, and $30 million annually from 2015 to 2017.
“St. Christopher’s is in a properly marked zone and has a higher volume of vehicles that surpass the marked speed limit as compared to the other schools,” said Chris Mistron, traffic safety and STOP-DWI coordinator for the county, explaining why the camera was installed on Merrick Road.
Anne Lederer, principal of St. Christopher, said that the school completed an application in June, requesting a speed camera. Lederer, who is in her 10th year as principal, added that speeding has long been a problem on the busy thoroughfare when children are crossing Merrick Road before and after school. There is a crossing guard to assist children, but speeding drivers can make that difficult.
“Any spot that’s going to slow people down where children are crossing the street is a good spot,” Lederer said of the camera’s location. “We’re always concerned for the safety of our children.”
Retiring Baldwin Superintendent James Scannell said that the county never contacted the school district to ask where the camera should be placed. He added that the county inquired over the summer about the hours of operations for each of the school buildings. “Since it’s a permanent installation [on Merrick Road],” Scannell said, “I’m assuming that’s the one for Baldwin, and that we’re not going to see any additional inquiries.”
