(Feb. 16, 2017) The long, flat and straight roads of Pocomoke City are being used as drag strips, and the town is tussling with how to prevent local speedsters from using them in this manner.
On the one side, much of the city council appears to be in favor of installing speed cameras along the affected streets, at least in the areas available to them. If not outright in favor, the council members seem at least interested in hearing from a vendor on the topic.
City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot has offered a solution he’s used in other jurisdictions that he said is very successful: speed humps. Not the bumps in the asphalt drivers see in local parking lots, speed humps are a great deal taller and far more likely to damage an offending vehicle that attempts to conquer them at higher than the recommended rate of speed.
The closest local analogue is on St. Louis Ave. in Ocean City, behind the Ocean Bowl Skate Park. Humps are generally broader and taller than normal speed bumps.
Speed cameras, per state law, can only be installed in school zones, with the Pocomoke High School area getting frequent mention during the ongoing discussions, among other restrictions, like hours of operation and velocity thresholds to determine when a citation is issued.
Crofoot said the installation of each hump would cost about $10,000. However, once they are in place there is little maintenance or upkeep required to keep them in good working order.
Speed cameras could potentially make money, with the town realizing a share of the funds collected by the camera operator. Pocomoke City council members used the example of Snow Hill’s camera as a revenue source, though no one at last Monday’s meeting knew just how much the camera located near Snow Hill Elementary and Middle schools brought in each year.
According to Snow Hill City Manager Kelly Pruitt, the town realized $12,720 in revenue in 2014, $20,550 in 2015 and $18,881 in 2016 from the camera.
Speed cameras, according to state law, may operate during the hours between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and won’t issue a citation for less than 12 miles per hour over the imposed limit.
Crofoot said speed humps would meet the goal of reducing the rates of speed of cars on the roads. Cameras, on the other hand, would only penalize those for engaging in the activity of speeding, should the drivers be caught under specific circumstances.
Councilwoman Esther Troast said she wanted a meeting with a vendor to discuss installing a speed camera, and she was tired of the city’s inaction on the issue.
Crofoot said her statements were at cross purposes, because the vendor often requires certain legislation be passed or mechanisms be put into place before even evaluating a site for camera installation.
He said his idea was essentially shovel ready, but the council did not support his solution.
Troast reiterated how frustrated she’d become with the process, which was a sentiment shared by Crofoot.
Crofoot said he was tired of being blamed for issues, or being accused of inaction, on issues that have been happening for decades, like the water issues in Pocomoke Heights.
Crofoot began his tenure in August 2015. His predecessor, Russ Blake, retired in 2015 after 40 years on the job.
On the one side, much of the city council appears to be in favor of installing speed cameras along the affected streets, at least in the areas available to them. If not outright in favor, the council members seem at least interested in hearing from a vendor on the topic.
City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot has offered a solution he’s used in other jurisdictions that he said is very successful: speed humps. Not the bumps in the asphalt drivers see in local parking lots, speed humps are a great deal taller and far more likely to damage an offending vehicle that attempts to conquer them at higher than the recommended rate of speed.
The closest local analogue is on St. Louis Ave. in Ocean City, behind the Ocean Bowl Skate Park. Humps are generally broader and taller than normal speed bumps.
Speed cameras, per state law, can only be installed in school zones, with the Pocomoke High School area getting frequent mention during the ongoing discussions, among other restrictions, like hours of operation and velocity thresholds to determine when a citation is issued.
Crofoot said the installation of each hump would cost about $10,000. However, once they are in place there is little maintenance or upkeep required to keep them in good working order.
Speed cameras could potentially make money, with the town realizing a share of the funds collected by the camera operator. Pocomoke City council members used the example of Snow Hill’s camera as a revenue source, though no one at last Monday’s meeting knew just how much the camera located near Snow Hill Elementary and Middle schools brought in each year.
According to Snow Hill City Manager Kelly Pruitt, the town realized $12,720 in revenue in 2014, $20,550 in 2015 and $18,881 in 2016 from the camera.
Speed cameras, according to state law, may operate during the hours between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and won’t issue a citation for less than 12 miles per hour over the imposed limit.
Crofoot said speed humps would meet the goal of reducing the rates of speed of cars on the roads. Cameras, on the other hand, would only penalize those for engaging in the activity of speeding, should the drivers be caught under specific circumstances.
Councilwoman Esther Troast said she wanted a meeting with a vendor to discuss installing a speed camera, and she was tired of the city’s inaction on the issue.
Crofoot said her statements were at cross purposes, because the vendor often requires certain legislation be passed or mechanisms be put into place before even evaluating a site for camera installation.
He said his idea was essentially shovel ready, but the council did not support his solution.
Troast reiterated how frustrated she’d become with the process, which was a sentiment shared by Crofoot.
Crofoot said he was tired of being blamed for issues, or being accused of inaction, on issues that have been happening for decades, like the water issues in Pocomoke Heights.
Crofoot began his tenure in August 2015. His predecessor, Russ Blake, retired in 2015 after 40 years on the job.