The camera system issued 12,895 tickets to drivers going more than 10 mph over the 20-mph speed limit from Oct. 7, the first day fines were levied, through Oct. 21. That doesn't count the additional 14,834 warnings during that time frame from cameras that were still in the initial 30-day grace period.
One particularly recalcitrant driver of a 2019 Toyota Corolla from the 12203 ZIP code managed to rack up 29 tickets during the 10-school day span.
City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar said he was astonished by the early results.
"My initial thought was, 'Holy crap, this many people are speeding in a school zone?'" he said.
He noted that part of the problem is so many of the city's schools are located along four-lane thoroughfares for drivers headed in and out of the city.
Shahinfar's office is responsible for adjudicating the speeding tickets. He expressed some concern that, given the thousands of tickets issued, if a large number of people challenge their tickets, it could bog down his office.
"I'm hopeful most people will say, 'I'm speeding in a school zone, so I'll pay the ticket,'" he said.
And with only eight of the 20 planned camera zones operational, the number of $50 citations will only increase when the full system goes live early next year.
A review of the data from the first 10 days of the speed zone camera program shows the school zone with the most offenders is Russell Road at Western Avenue, the home of Eagle Point Elementary School. Drivers headed west through that intersection racked up 4,888 tickets since Oct. 7.
One lead-footed commuter in a 2025 white Honda CRV from the 12208 ZIP code was the first driver of the day to receive a ticket three times from that camera.
That camera snagged the first offender at 7:02 a.m., and the last, at 5:58 p.m., on Oct. 7, the first day tickets were issued. Drivers headed east at that intersection received another 2,755 tickets.
Traffic and pedestrian safety have been a focal point for the Eagle Point PTA in recent years.
Leah Hoey, PTA president, said part of the problem stems from drivers using Russell Road as a cut-through between Western Avenue and Krumkill Road. The school also has a small parking lot, leading to congestion around pick-up and drop-off times.
Hoey said she was happy with the new cameras but was hoping the city would eventually put sidewalks on Russell Road to make it safer for students and parents walking to the school.
"Anything helps in that area because it gets so congested," she said. "This is a good start."
Her daughter, Emily King, the PTA vice president, echoed Hoey's concerns. She was surprised at the number of tickets that had been issued already.
"I think that shows the problem that exists," she said.
King said she had heard grumbling from some drivers since the cameras were installed.
"For drivers to slow down, I don't see what the complaints are," she said. "It's not a long stretch, just slow down."
The cameras are live every school day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Drivers recorded going faster than 30 mph receive a citation in the mail for a $50 fine, which includes a link to view a video of the infraction.
The city splits the $50 with the camera vendor, with the city receiving $17 and the company keeping the rest. The violations are not reported to the state Department of Motor Vehicles or a driver's auto insurance company.
The tickets go through a two-step process before being mailed to drivers to ensure a violation occurred. The vendor working with the city flags the violation and then a city police officer signs off on the citation.
There are limited grounds for drivers to successfully challenge their tickets. Examples include if the camera records the wrong plate number or if the car is stolen, following an ambulance, on its way to a hospital or has recently been sold.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation in September 2023 allowing the city to set up a pilot program with 20 school zone cameras in the city.
The cameras are meant to help with a simple problem: Too many drivers in the city speed near schools and the city doesn't have the police manpower to handle the issue.
From 2018 until 2022, there were 11,283 reported vehicle crashes within school zones in the city, according to a report from the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center cited in the legislation authorizing the camera system. The report defines a school zone as a 1,320-foot radius around a school. Those crashes injured 2,109 people and killed 11 others.
During that same time, just 1,765 speeding tickets were issued to drivers in those zones.
The pilot program expires at the end of 2028, according to the law. The city is required to file an annual report on the program by April 1 of each year.
Drivers struggling to handle the reduced speeds will need to adapt sooner, rather than later. Starting Jan. 1, the speed limit on most city streets will drop to 25 mph.
©2024 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
