Newark is seeing positive results from its speed camera program.
"We're seeing that they're actually acting as a deterrent, and people are starting to reduce their speeds in the areas that we publish, that they're going to be at. And it looks like we are going to continue to do speed studies in those areas to find out if there's going to be a long-term effect or not," said Lieutenant Gregory D’Elia with the Newark Police Department.
The Electronic Speed Enforcement Program has deployed the camera on Casho Mill Road, Hillside Road and Capitol Trail.
When the camera goes up. there’s a warning period. That period at Casho Mill Road just ended October 1 and during that time, the city saw 60 percent fewer violations.
D’Elia says that’s good news.
“Casho Mill Road is right in front of a school, and we're seeing people drive slower through that area that were speeding constantly. We didn't just come up with these areas just because, hey, that's a good spot to put a camera. All of the locations for these cameras that were approved by council were all based on our speed studies prior to that," said D’Elia.
Hillside Road saw an about 41 percent reduction in excessive speeding violations with the camera while Capitol Trail saw about a 42 percent reduction.
D’Elia is pleased with the program.
"It does look like it's working. That's the goal, right? It's really to get people to slow down. It gets people to be safer. It's to get people to not only drive their cars, but it's also the pedestrians,” said D’Elia. “I keep mentioning that Casho Mill one. You have kids walking to and from school. You have people out in areas on Kirkwood Highway, where it's a free-for-all as far as how fast people are traveling in a straight away."
The city is planning to ask City Council for a second camera for the program.
