By Tara Fischer
Staff Writer
Fines will increase for drivers caught on camera exceeding the posted speed limit in Berlin, officials said this week.
At a Berlin mayor and council meeting on Monday, Oct. 27, town attorney David Gaskill and Police Chief Arnold Downing announced that motorists can expect steeper violation fees if they exceed the speed limit in the areas in town where speed cameras are stationed—Flower Street at Railroad Avenue, Flower Street at Peach Lane, and Seahawk Road near Stephen Decatur High School.
The posted legal speed limit in these areas is 25 miles per hour. When the devices were installed last year, violators driving 12 mph or more over the maximum faced a $40 citation. Now, per state law, these tickets will be increased, with violations adjusted, depending on exactly how fast a car is going.
Gaskill said that rates will remain at $40 if a vehicle is between 12 and 15 miles per hour over the speed limit. A motorist will be charged $70 if they’re between 16 and 19 miles per hour over, $120 for going between 20 and 29 miles per hour over, $230 for going between 30 and 39 miles per hour over, and $425 for driving 40 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall asked Downing how often the cameras catch someone traveling at the highest speeds, such as 40 miles per hour over the posted limit. The police chief maintained that it’s not often, if ever. The fastest car was clocked at 70 miles per hour coming off the highway onto Seahawk Road.
“The thought was that the person was shooting across to try to catch the light,” Downing said. “We don’t anticipate a lot [of cars] going over the first two tiers.”
The Berlin Town Council maintained that the changes are not the municipality’s decision but rather an adjustment to comply with a new state law modifying the fee structure, which was signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore this spring and officially took effect on Oct. 1.
This week’s discussion on the matter in Berlin was a first reading of the ordinance. A public hearing regarding the speed citation topic is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 10, at the mayor and council’s regularly scheduled meeting.