Middletown Chief of Police Eric Costa speaking at the Jan. 27 meeting of the Public Safety Commmission.

The public showed strong support for Automated Traffic Enforcement Safety Devices at Middletown’s January 27 public information meeting. Following the presentation by Chief of Police Eric Costa, all who spoke or asked questions seemed in favor of the cameras to reduce injuries and fatalities from speeding and reckless driving. The Police Department’s proposal must be approved by the Common Council before it is implemented. Our readers are encouraged to support traffic enforcement cameras by emailing the Common Council.

Chief Costa said the department had identified the following 4 locations in the city where ATESDs would make a significant improvement to public safety:

• CT Route 17 South Main Street (Talcott Ridge Drive to Royal Oak Drive) where vehicles are reported to exceed 80 mph and the site of a fatal crash where the vehicle was traveling at 97 mph.
• Spencer School Zone on Westfield Street, where the speed limit is 20 mph and many vehicles exceed 70 mph.
• Country Club Road, a major commuter route where drivers approach a danger S-curve and pass Moody
• CT Route 66 between Harvest Wood Road and Boston Road, where drivers frequently exceed 70 mph eastbound approach the business district.

Other points included in the presentation or addressed in the Q&A:

• None of the identified locations falls within a lower income U.S. census tract.
• By state law, cameras may cite vehicles exceeding the speed limit by at least 10 mph. Cameras will monitor vehicles traveling in both directions.
• Tickets will be issued as a civic fine charged to the vehicle owner, similar to a parking ticket. The first offense will result in a warning; the second in a $50 fine; and subsequent violations in a $75 fine.

A PDF of Chief Costa’s presentation may be accessed here: