WASHINGTON – Montgomery County plans to install 30 new speed and red-light cameras by the end of next year, adding to the existing 72 that racked up almost $10 million last fiscal year.
The Washington Examiner reports the county plans to install 10 new portable speed cameras and 20 new red-light cameras. Currently, there are 56 fixed pole cameras, 10 portable cameras, six speed-camera vans and 40 red-light cameras.
Drivers in the county last fiscal year received 487,820 speed tickets and 40,294 red-light tickets, chalking up a total of $9.7 million in fines, after paying for operating expenses such as the camera vendor, police officers and employees who run the program.
The locations of the new cameras will be announced in the coming week. Check out The Examiner report for more information.
Across the Potomac in Virginia, speed cameras are not currently used. Gov. Bob McDonnell told WTOP on Tuesday he would be open to considering implementing them, to allow law enforcement officers more time to prevent and solve crimes, instead of monitoring traffic.
It should be a public safety issue, he said, and not a revenue generator.
“We should find a way to enforce the law,” McDonnell said.
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