WESLEY CHAPEL — Drivers speeding through school zones could soon find a $100 ticket in their mailbox after Pasco County commissioners voted 4-1 last week to move forward with an automated camera enforcement program.
The decision came after county traffic officials presented a study of 31 school zones that found some of the worst speeding problems clustered around Wesley Chapel, including Weightman Middle, Wesley Chapel Elementary and Wesley Chapel High.
Those three schools, essentially one giant campus/complex along Wells Road, shared the same traffic data, which showed vehicles averaged 32.5 mph during the morning arrival period and 31.9 around dismissal. The school-zone speed limit is 15 mph.
Other trouble spots included Quail Hollow Elementary and Double Branch Elementary.
At Quail Hollow, drivers averaged 30.8 in the morning and 31.8 in the afternoon in a 15-mph school zone. Compounding the concern, Quail Hollow is one of only two schools listed as having no sidewalks.
While commissioners were briefed on a ticketless warning system by IntelliRoad, most commissioners agreed warnings alone may not be enough.
“I think it’s the ticket that’s going to change the behavior,” said Commissioner Lisa Yeager. “I would not be for them anywhere else in the county, but I would 100% be for them in school zones.”
At Double Branch, the average speeds were 28.9 and 30 mph.
County Traffic Operations Manager Jeffrey Moncalian told commissioners the citation program, modeled after similar systems already active in Hillsborough, Sumter and Polk counties, would ticket drivers going at least 11 mph over the posted school-zone limit. Violations carry a $100 fine, with that money split among the county, law enforcement, the school district and a school crossing guard fund.
Citations do not result in points on a driver’s license or affect insurance.
The Sheriff’s Office told commissioners it supports the program.
“Certainly, speeding in school zones is a significant problem,” said Sheriff’s Office representative Chase Daniels. “Unfortunately, we do not have the capabilities to be in every school zone in the county twice a day, every single day.”
Commissioner Jack Mariano cast the lone dissenting vote.
Mariano said his concerns stemmed partly from a discussion held earlier at the same commission meeting over automated license plate readers, or Flock cameras.
“I’m going to want to have more information about the data collected, where it goes, how it’s stored,” Mariano said. “Until I get that information, I can’t support it.”
A representative from RedSpeed, which runs Hillsborough County’s school zone program and could compete for the Pasco program, told commissioners that images are only captured when the vehicle is traveling at least 11 mph over the limit and that citations must be approved by a local traffic enforcement officer. He added that data is destroyed after a case is paid or adjudicated.
He also claimed that speeding has fallen 95% in Hillsborough County school zones where its cameras are used.
Mariano did favor a separate school-safety system shown to commissioners that detects vehicles and pedestrians and activates warning beacons but does not collect license plate information or issue tickets.
Commissioner Ron Oakley, whose district includes the Wesley Chapel schools along Wells Road, said he initially had reservations because of the complaints from those getting tickets in neighboring counties, before voting in favor.
“They’re also the person that’s breaking the law, speeding in a school zone,” Oakley said. “I think the ticket has to be included in the program to make it work right because they need to be noticed, and then hopefully that’ll slow them down.”
The vote directs county staff to bring back an ordinance establishing the citation program for commissioners to consider. If approved, the county would then seek out a vendor.
Commissioners also asked staff to pursue the non-ticketing school-safety technology, the IntelliRoad Safety System, which uses sensors rather than citations to warn drivers and pedestrians.
The Sherrif’s Office said it will continue to focus on the county’s worst school-zone trouble spots when it has the manpower to do so.