Shreveport City Council Approves Expansion of Speed Camera Program

News Summary

The Shreveport City Council has voted 4-3 to expand the city’s speed camera program beyond school zones. With rising concerns over speeding, especially in key locations, the program aims to enhance road safety. The decision has provoked mixed reactions from the community, questioning its focus on safety versus revenue generation.

Shreveport City Council Approves Expansion of Speed Camera Program

Shreveport is buzzing with excitement (and a bit of controversy) after the City Council voted to approve an expansion of the city’s speed camera program. In a close call, the council members voted 4-3 to empower the mayor to tweak the existing contract with Blue Line Solutions. This change means that those ever-alert speed cameras will now be installed not just in school zones, but across other roads in the city too!

Why the Change?

The big motivation behind this decision is the growing concern over speeding in various areas throughout Shreveport. Blue Line Solutions has been managing speed enforcement in school zones since 2022, raking in about $2.5 million annually for the city. That’s some serious cash for keeping everyone safe! But there’s more to this story. According to a speeding survey done by Blue Line Solutions, it turns out that the problem extends far beyond just school zones, revealing a staggering 54,300 speeders per week on roads outside of these areas.

Let’s Talk Numbers

As we dig deeper into the data, it’s evident that speeding is a widespread issue. In 2023, Shreveport Police issued around 22,300 traffic citations, with approximately 3,500 of those directed at speeders. Fast forward to 2024, and while the total citations remained fairly stable at about 22,100, the exact number of speeding tickets isn’t available. It seems like the residents of Shreveport might be driving a little too fast for comfort.

Locations Under the Microscope

The administration is actively exploring locations to set up the new speeding cameras. Some standout spots include Clyde Fant Parkway and Grimmett Drive to Jack Wells Boulevard, where a shocking 6,942 speeders were recorded each week, making up 11.6% of all traffic. Just imagine the cars zipping through!

Other notable hot spots feature the 2300 block of Legardy Street with 5,569 speeders and a jaw-dropping 54.1% of total observed traffic. Meanwhile, Clyde Fant Parkway and Coates Bluff Drive sees about 5,248 speeders each week, which is an astonishing 63.7% of all cars on that stretch. It’s clear from these numbers that some drivers are treating the gas pedal like it’s a race car!

Community Input: Mixed Reactions

As expected, the council meeting had its fair share of debates and opinions from the local citizens. While many shared their support for implementing more speed cameras, some voiced concerns about the potential for these cameras to become a simple revenue stream for the city, raising the question of whether safety or profits are the priority.

Jon Glover is worried about how the cameras may impact families by just nabbing people for speeding. In contrast, supporters like Sammy Mears argue that these measures are crucial in promoting road safety, particularly in high-traffic areas.

A Close Call Vote

In the end, the resolution passed thanks to the favor of council members Tabatha Taylor, Ursula Bowman, Alan Jackson, and James Green. However, it faced opposition from Grayson Boucher, Jim Taliaferro, and Gary Brooks, highlighting that the community remains divided on this important issue.

As Shreveport gears up for this new speed camera rollout, it seems clear that the city is serious about making its roads safer for everyone. So, drivers in Shreveport, consider this your friendly reminder: keep an eye on that speedometer! It looks like those cameras will be watching from more places than before!

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Shreveport City Council Votes to Keep Speed Cameras
Speed Cameras Coming to Shreveport: What You Need to Know
Shreveport Implements New Speed Cameras for School Zones

Additional Resources

• Shreveport Bossier Advocate
• Shreveport Times
• KTAL News
• Wikipedia: Traffic Enforcement
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Speed Limit