Agenda - Council - 09/09/1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INCREASED ENFORCEMENT C 4.PT R -- J_ncreased enforcement involves the effective ....... ~ use of public safety/police personnel to en- ~~2 cotzrage reduced speeds in residential areas. 2 I I I I The enforcement procedure usually involves the use of radar to identify speeders and sub- sequent ticketing of speed violators. Effects Volumes. Little or no effect. On higher volume streets used as "bypasses," there may be a slight reduction. Speed. Studies have shown that enforcement operations result in appreciable speed reduc- tions. However, speeds are usually reduced only as long as the enforcement is maintained. Traffic Noise, Ajar QuaLity and Energy Con- suznption. Little effect in most cases. How- ever, in areas with higher volumes, especially larger percentages of heavy commercial and truck traffic, there may be some reductions. Traffic Safety. The number of accidents is generally reduced and overall safety is im- proved while speeds are reduced. May have significant impact ff sustained enforcement is present. Con-Lmu~ty Reaction. Residents support and encourage enforcement on "their" street. There is often a negative reaction ff enforce- ment results in citation to local residents. This results in reduced' police interest in enforce- ment. Neighbors should be encouraged to view enforcement as a system wide proce- dure. Additional Considerations 1. Impacts of enforcement can have a longer lasting effect when enforcement, is repetitive on a non-routine basis and th2s is communi- cated to the neighborhood and the driving public through signing and/or brochures. 2. Budget and manpower constraints. Use of personnel for speed enforcement is typically not a high priority for police departments. Manpower time and wages can:'be costly for this type of speed reduction technique. 3. "Photo-Radar" has been implemented in some cities. Th2s can be more cost-effective and safer method of enforcement on higher volume streets. Case Study No specific case study is provided for this report. However, surveys have shown that police enforcement for speed reduction is a widely accepted and effective method nation- wide. It is also accepted positively by the general public. However, as previously stated, the.negat2ve aspects of this method are the following: priority and expense concerns of law enforcement agencies, and enforcement must be administered continuously for long term to be effective. Studies have generaJ2y shown that people speeding in neighborhoods tend to be local residents. Neighborhood Traffic Control January 1994