FAIRFIELD – While red lights and speed cameras have been approved for several locations in town, the implementation of the program is still months away, according to police Sgt. Jenna Wellington.
“The program is still going through some approvals, so we are still months away from implementation,” she wrote in an email to Fairfield County Business Journal last month. “We will have warning signs and we will put out information for everyone before we are a go for sure. But overall we don’t have definitive date yet.”
The state has approved red-light and speed safety camera guidelines for several municipalities. Fairfield’s plan was approved by the state on Dec. 11. Other municipalities who have received approvals include Beacon Falls, Greenwich, Marlborough, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, Stratford, Washington. Two municipalities whose plans are under review include Hamden and Stamford.
The Fairfield Police Department has partnered with Altumint to install speed enforcement cameras in designated school zones throughout town.
This initiative, which will take effect as soon as state approval is given, will use camera-based enforcement technology to deter speeding in areas where children and pedestrians are most at risk. Following the Representative Town Meeting’s approval of the program this summer, these cameras will be installed in six school zones to deter speeding.
- Dwight Elementary (Redding Road): Selected due to two past fatal pedestrian crashes, one involving an impaired driver and another likely caused by distraction.
- Notre Dame High School (Jefferson Street): The site of a major crash involving a speeding driver that resulted in multiple injuries.
- Burr Elementary (Burr Street): Chosen due to frequent complaints about speeding and anticipated traffic shifts from nearby enforcement zones.
- Riverfield Elementary: Identified for infrastructure concerns including long stretches of roadway with limited traffic controls, which often result in excessive speeding.
- Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde high schools: Included due to the high volume of younger, less-experienced drivers.
Automated enforcement zones will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the start and end of the school day, cameras will enforce a reduced speed limit of 20 mph. Outside of these designated school hours, and when school is not in session, a speed limit of 25 mph will be enforced. The speed limit for Riverfield School on Mill Plain Road will revert to 30 mph outside of pickup and drop off times, which is its normal speed limit for that road.
