Holmes Beach city officials hope another set of watchful eyes can improve safety at the Anna Maria Elementary campus.
City commissioners unanimously voted May 28 to authorize Mayor Judy Titsworth to execute a piggyback agreement to hire Tennessee-based Blue Line Solutions LLC to install and operate an automated speed enforcement system in the school zone along Gulf Drive.
David Bocchino, Blue Line’s regional sales manager of Florida, attended the meeting to provide a breakdown of the company and its services.
He said the company conducted a five-day traffic study in January to measure motorists’ speeds throughout three periods: as school opens 7:45-8:45 a.m.; daytime 8:45 a.m.-3 p.m.; as school gets out 3-3:45 p.m.
When the school zone traffic lights are flashing during the bookending time periods, its speed zone drops from 25 mph to 15 mph.
Bocchino said Blue Line’s study found that out of about 33,000 motorists passing through the school zone, almost 1,300 were found driving 11 mph or more over the speed limit.
Out of the roughly 1,300 speeders, 305 were driving 15-20 mph over the speed limit and 148 were driving 21 mph or more over the limit.
Bocchino said 327 of the speeding incidents occurred when the school zone’s flashing lights were activated.
He said that after the city approved the contract, Blue Line would begin installing its speed camera infrastructure using existing utility poles along the stretch and begin a 30-day warning period to notify motorists of the changes.
Bocchino said Blue Line’s technology will detect motorists driving 11 mph or more over the speed limit while the school zone’s flashing lights are activated.
Cameras will take a photo of the offending motorist’s license plate, at which point that information will be sent to the company for citation processing.
The contract includes no overhead costs for the installation and operation of the automated speed enforcement system but Blue Line will receive a percentage of any citations it assesses.
“I think it’s a real advancement for this city, quite frankly,” Commission Chair Terry Schaefer said. “What’s more important than protecting our young citizens?”
Police Chief Bill Tokajer recommended the agreement, noting that the stretch has had several close calls between motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians in the past — and traffic is only getting worse.
He said that, according to the city’s license plate recognition system, 53,170 motorists entered the city the weekend of May 25-26.
Tokajer added that public works superintendent/city engineer Sage Kamiya checked the AME school zone and found it was smaller than it should be.
He said the school zone would be extended by 100 feet to the north and 200 feet to the south and Blue Line’s infrastructure would be set up to account for the new boundaries.
Commissioner Dan Diggins moved to approve the contract and Commissioner Pat Morton seconded the motion, which passed.
Commissioners also unanimously voted to send a proposed ordinance that would allow the city to regulate speed zones with cameras to a second reading.
City attorney Erica Augello said the proposed ordinance was “part and parcel” with Blue Line and required by state law to implement the regulations.
There were no public comments for either item.
The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
A livestream of the meeting can be viewed on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.