Residents: Speed Cameras Should Improve Safety in Essex, Middle River

Paul Sommerfeld’s two daughters only need to walk across the street each day to get to school at Eastern Tech.

The walk is just a few hundred yards, yet each morning Sommerfeld worries for the girls’ safety as he watches cars zooming up and down Mace Avenue, where the speed limit is 30 mph.

So, Sommerfeld was more than elated when Baltimore County announced Eastern Tech was one of three school zones to receive speed cameras. The cameras, which are also located outside and Catonsville High schools, were activated Monday.

“I’m happy the cameras are finally out there,” Sommerfeld said. “There are many days when I’ve wanted to jump out into the road and get people to stop speeding because there are children trying to get to school safely.”

The new cameras are part of a change . Another camera, the 16th for the county, will be installed in Perry Hall next year. The cameras will allow traffic in both directions to be monitored and photographed. The original cameras could only monitor traffic in one direction.

This is the first time the county has changed locations of the 15 original speed cameras approved by the County Council last year. The 2010 law allowed the county to place the cameras in school zones only.

The cameras operate year round from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. New locations will issue warnings for the first 30 days of operation. After that, drivers who exceed the posted speed limit by more than 12 mph will receive a $40 citation.

Reaction around the Essex-Middle River area for the speed cameras has been mostly positive, as many residents have complained for years about the safety for pedestrians near Eastern Tech and Middle River Middle.

Many local residents took to Facebook to express their views on speed cameras.

“If people aren’t speeding to start with why should they need to even worry about it?” said Rosedale resident Carolyn Ann.

Essex resident Debbie Crampton Braun believes the cameras are mainly designed to be a revenue-generator for the county, but also said it should improve safety.

“I hate the cameras,” she said. “They are not all about safety but revenue builders in my opinion. But, truth be told, they are needed at Middle River [Road]. People fly up and down that road. “

Patch Associate Regional Editor Bryan P. Sears contributed to this story.