On Friday, I happened upon MPD Photo Enforcement Program Manager Lisa Sutter and several of her colleagues as they were testing a newly installed mobile speed camera. The photo that was up on the laptop screen as I looked over the technician's shoulder showed a crystal clear photo of the back side of a car that was recorded traveling 37.7 miles per hour, more than 12 miles per hour over the legal speed limit. Once this camera is operational, a car like this would be issued a speeding ticket.
This mobile speed camera is one of 132 new photo enforcement units that MPD will be installing across D.C. between now and the end of September, including:
- 32 portable speed cameras;
- 24 intersection speed cameras;
- 20 gridlock cameras (to catch "blocking the box" violations);
- 32 stop sign cameras;
- 16 cameras to catch vehicles that fail to stop for pedestrians; and
- 8 cameras to catch violations of oversized vehicles on restricted routes.
Following proposals to limit D.C.'s planned expansion of the photo enforcement program, in July, the D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council and the D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council sent a letter to the D.C. Council recommending that the D.C. government continue with the planned expansion to protect pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.
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Written by Jason Broehm