Although three mobile units are up and running at Plainedge Middle School, Dutch Lane Elementary and Abbey Lane School, the Lido Boulevard camera will be activated only after a required test period this fall, Ford said.

The County Legislature approved a contract amendment with American Traffic Solutions on May 19 to install the cameras. The county expects them to generate $14.2 million this year, and $30 million annually from 2015 to 2017. A county spokesperson would not say, however, how much it would cost to install and maintain the cameras.

Long Beach’s superintendent of schools, David Weiss, said that the district is looking forward to seeing the effect the cameras have. “We’ve been working hard with our local representatives, especially Denise Ford and Harvey Weisenberg, as well as the Lido Homes and Lido Dunes civic associations, on improving safety for students traveling to and from school,” Weiss said. “When drivers follow traffic safety regulations, whether it’s avoiding distracted driving [or] obeying speed restrictions, children are safer. We appreciate the support we’ve received for this and other safety measures.”

Ford said that the new cameras would take some time to get used to, recalling that after the county began installing red light cameras, the number of rear-end accidents increased (while the number of broadside accidents in the middle of intersections decreased). After people grew accustomed to the cameras, those accident numbers decreased, she said.

“We’re all going to have to get used to paying attention,” Ford said. “Hopefully, people will start getting into the mindset.”