News Summary
Shreveport prepares for back-to-school safety with the restoration of its school zone speed camera program, aiming to deter speeding and enhance road safety.
Shreveport is gearing up for the back-to-school season with the planned restoration of its school zone speed camera program. The city’s officials are working diligently to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place before students return on August 13. This restoration is meant to enhance road safety in school zones by deterring speeding among drivers.
Mayor Tom Arceneaux has confirmed that the city is currently focused on meeting the state’s requirements for the enforcement of tickets generated by speed cameras. To comply with these regulations, the city must install new signage and refresh street paint in school zones. These updates are essential as they serve to remind drivers that enforcement is active in these areas.
The estimated cost for restoring the speed cameras is around $116,000, which the city must cover. However, city officials believe that this expenditure is justified given the revenue generated by speeding tickets, which supports the operational costs of the program. The existing speed camera setup reportedly brings in approximately $2.5 million in revenue for the city each year.
As part of these restoration efforts, the city is collaborating with Blue Line Solutions, a firm specializing in traffic management, to coordinate the necessary updates. Although Mayor Arceneaux has expressed optimism about completing the restoration before the school year starts, he has not guaranteed that all updates will be finalized in time. In cases where the restoration work is incomplete, the cameras, although activated, will not be able to issue tickets.
Mayor Arceneaux himself has been a recipient of speeding tickets from the school zone cameras, which underscores the program’s direct impact on community driving behavior. Despite this focus on school zone safety, the city has no immediate plans to expand the speed camera enforcement beyond these zones or to incorporate red-light cameras. This is due to legal constraints that prevent the installation of additional cameras outside designated school areas.
Despite these limitations, Blue Line Solutions continues to analyze traffic patterns and make recommendations for school zone camera placements. Ongoing studies have shown that about 54,300 speeders are recorded weekly on streets surveyed across Shreveport, indicating a widespread issue with speeding in these areas. Some locations remain unmonitored due to placement restrictions imposed by state laws.
The Shreveport City Council is currently discussing proposals to expand the installation of speed cameras beyond school zones. Council members are considering twelve new locations, guided by past speeding studies. Councilman Dr. Alan Jackson is in support of increasing the installations to enhance safety, while Councilman Grayson Boucher has expressed reservations based on concerns regarding the effectiveness of the existing system.
New speed cameras are planned to target areas where habitual speeding has been reported, with the intention of issuing tickets to drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 11 mph. Analysis from current camera tests has indicated a significant number of speeders in these identified zones during active review periods.
As legislative efforts continue in Louisiana regarding automated traffic cameras, the outcome of this discourse could impact the future of Shreveport’s speed camera program. Final votes from the city council regarding the proposed camera expansions are expected to take place after the close of the current legislative session.
This initiative is part of Shreveport’s broader strategy to bolster community safety and ensure a more secure environment for students as they return to school.
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Shreveport’s Speed Camera Program Faces New Restrictions
Shreveport’s Traffic Camera Expansion Affects School Zones
Louisiana Enacts Law to Enhance School Zone Safety with Speed Cameras
Shreveport Officials Oppose Proposed Ban on Speed Cameras in School Zones
New Traffic Legislation to Improve School Commutes in Shreveport
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Additional Resources
- 710 KEEL: Shreveport School Zone Cameras
- KSLA: Speed Cameras in Shreveport
- Shreveport Bossier Advocate: More Speeding Cameras Planned
- Wikipedia: Traffic Safety
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Traffic Safety
Author: STAFF HERE SHREVEPORT WRITER
The SHREVEPORT STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREShreveport.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Mudbug Madness Festival, Red River Revel Arts Festival, and Independence Bowl. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Shreveport-Bossier Chamber of Commerce and Shreveport Regional Arts Council, plus leading businesses in gaming, healthcare, and energy that power the local economy such as Horseshoe Casino, Ochsner LSU Health, and Atmos Energy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBatonRouge.com and HERENewOrleans.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Louisiana's dynamic landscape.
