Letter: Re: Photo Radar Site – Along Cardiff Road

According to the 2nd quarter reports from the photo radar contractor, a total of 43 hours was spent in this particular site and resulted in 351 tickets. Looking at the total stats for the 2nd quarter (April to June), 43 hours represents 9.5 per cent of their total hours logged for this quarter and 351 tickets represents 44.5 per cent of the total 788 tickets issued for this quarter.

At first blush, one would think, holy cow we have a speeding problem. Before jumping to this conclusion, a few questions that I would like Mr. [David] Schaefer to answer publicly for everyone to see are:

1/ In the last five years how many vehicle accidents have been logged in the RCMP reports for this exact same site (Cardiff Road at/near 94 Street)?

2/ Of the 351 tickets, what was the breakdown of the speeds over (0 to 5); (6-10); (11-20) (over 20) etc. If the bulk of the tickets were under 10 kilometres per hour over the speed limit, one would think it is not quite as serious as Mr. Schaefer indicated during the [Aug. 25] Council meeting.

3/ For every 1,000 vehicles travelling within this zone, how many are speeding over 10 kph?

Mr. Schaefer was quoted as saying: “If you look at the percentages and tickets, the road has a lot of high flyers, and as you’ve seen in the last week we had a death in the near community of this.” Schaefer said referring to a traffic fatality on Highway 2.”

First I would like to remind Mr. Schaefer, that the unfortunate accident that he is referring to was on Highway 2 approximately two kilometers away and should NOT be compared to the so-called speeders on Cardiff Road – different roads, different speeds.

When Councillor [Stepen] Dafoe suggested some “boots on the ground” might be more effective. Mr. Schaefer exclaimed during the discussion that “It’s just not a safe road!”

Maybe Mr. Schaefer, it is time to look into other options to alleviate this so-called “high flyer” speeding zone such as: (a) redesign the road and widen it so that is not so dangerous or, if this isn’t an option, maybe install a three-way stop sign at South Glens entrance or other traffic calming devices. I know for a fact that stop signs have been used at least in three or four other locations within town as traffic calming devices.

In closing, I trust that Administration, the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee, including the RCMP, will look at the bigger picture of this particular photo radar zone and if it is as dangerous as stated by our Director of Operations, then maybe it is time to review other options that would make this road safer.

Although, I wonder just how much revenue 351 tickets brought into Town?

Thank you.

Linda Lyons

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3 Comments

  1. Linda Lyons is very much correct in her questions as she has seen through the trickery that is going on here.

  2. This is more for Christina Fedorak: Don’t worry Christina, you won’t see the response to this letter – simply because there never WILL be a response to this letter!

    Unfortunately, Morinville’s Administration never has (and I suspect never will) been honest, transparent and/or up-front with respect to photo radar in this community.

    Look at it from their point of view – now that the construction of our much-maligned Cultural Center (known to some as “Bertschi’s Blunder”) is almost paid off, we now have an even MORE expensive edifice to work on. The proposed Multi-use Recreational Facility is going to cost WAY more than the Cultural Center and what better “fund-raiser” is there than the trusted, tried and true, photo radar scam.

    By the way folks, if I’m not mistaken, there has NEVER been a recorded accident at that site, even when the speed was more than the present 50 kph! I guess the folks who live in South Glens are intelligent enough to STOP at the intersection, LOOK BOTH WAYS to ensure it’s ok to go and then PROCEED!

    Have a nice day folks…

    James O’Brien

  3. Mr. O’Brien, most of the time your on point and make sense. And some times your just talking out of your butt.
    Your probably the only one who thinks the Cultural Centre is a “blunder”.
    I would suggest that most of the residents believe that the CCC is a great facility and are glad to have it.

    Now, HOW its managed, might be/is quite a bone of contention for most, me included.

    As for Mr. Schaefer, he is clearly not a good fit in Morinville. You can never be right because he is never wrong. Publicly he shows no respect for Council or the public when challenged on an issue. He will look you in the eye and quote traffic regulations all the while ignoring the rate payers wishes. I’m sure council is aware of this and needs to more clearly articulate this to the Town Manager, as she continues to employ him.

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