At least two of Baltimore City's chosen sites for speed cameras are getting a closer look from drivers and critics; the intersections of Charles and Lake Avenue and Northern Parkway and Greenspring Road.
As it is now, the Northern Parkway/Greenspring intersection is not a school zone. There are no signs, no crosswalks and not even a sidewalk. The closest school is Dr. Ronald N. Patterson Senior Academy exactly a half mile down Greenspring Road and right now, that school zone starts two tenths of a mile down the road from Northern Parkway, but those dimensions are about to expand to include the busy thoroughfare.
[Does this look like a school zone to you?] “Not at all, said driver Sherman Stephenson, “I guess revenue is revenue."
Workers installed speed cameras at the intersection today, the signs formally calling it a school zone will come later. A dangerous precedent says Delegate Patrick McDonough.
"If we accept what they are doing they can technically put a sign on the exit and entrance of Baltimore city and say this is a school zone and put cameras on every block of the city and raise a hell of a lot of money."
The city says it is simply following state law, listening to the recommendations of the community and placing these cameras where speeding is more of a problem.
“We're following state law that entitles us to put speed cameras within a half mile radius of a school zone," said Adrienne Barnes with the Baltimore Department of Transportation.
The city maintains it is all in an effort to keep people safe and save lives....not make money.
[Does it look like a school zone to you?] “It doesn't appear to be,” said driver Maxine Mobley, “I've never taken it as a school zone."
But it is now in the eye of the camera.
Baltimore has 14 of its 51 cameras up and running. Citations began to be issued as of November 1, 2009.
