By Stephen Dafoe
Morinville – Motorists’ wallets were left a little flusher with cash in the fourth quarter of 2012. Integrated Traffic Services Ltd. (ITS), Morinville’s automated traffic enforcement contractor reported a 63 per cent reduction in tickets issued in 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Those who were ticked were largely ticked in school zones.
In his report to Council, ITS owner Bruce Kaminski informed Council only 370 tickets were issued between October and December at Morinville’s 18 monitoring locations. That number is a substantial drop from the 993 tickets issued during the same period in the previous year.
The report indicates radar display signs located at the east and west entrances to town have had an impact on motorists, prompting them to lower their speed. However, Kaminski says the east end of town continues to be a problem. “The sign that was relocated to the east side of town is continuing to capture a few extremely excessive speeds but is working well to slow drivers as they enter from the east,” Kaminski wrote in his report.
Top speeds captured by the education signs during the quarter were 134 kilometres per hour at the east end of town and 110 km/h to the west. Both speeds were captured in a 50 km/h zone.
David Schaefer, Morinville’s Director of Corporate Operations, said some of the speeds seem to be seasonal and that this will be reviewed and factored into future monitoring.
School zone monitoring increased
Since meeting with the RCMP and Schaefer, ITS has beefed up its presence in school zones. The ITS report indicates the average speed in Morinville’s 30 km/h school zones is 48 km/h.
Those outside the community continue to accumulate the lion’s share of speeding tickets. Fourth quarter statistics show Morinvillians getting 40 per cent of the tickets. The report indicates the large Morinville numbers are due to increased presence in school zones. A total of 111 tickets were issued near Morinville Public Elementary School on 101 Avenue between 100 Street and 102 Street during the fourth quarter. This area accounted for almost one third of total tickets issued. No tickets were issued by Notre Dame Elementary School despite 21 hours of monitoring.
Other popular locations were 100 Street between 87 Avenue and the curve in 100 Street, and 100 Street between the curve in 100 Street and Cardiff Road. Sixty-five tickets were issued at the former, 54 at the latter.