Region of Waterloo approves 16 additional speed cameras for school zones

The Region of Waterloo is aiming to have 32 speed cameras installed and activated by the end of the year.

Currently 16 have already been installed in school zones around the region. Eight were brought in 2021, and another eight in 2022.

The original planned expansion for this year included eight additional sites to achieve a total of 24, but council approved doubling that number at a meeting on Wednesday.

Municipalities are now busy identifying locations for 16 new sites, which will all be in school zones.

The expansion costs $362,000. The region says it expects in the coming years, revenue from the tickets should cover the operating costs.

If a driver is going over the speed limit, the camera captures an image and issues a ticket.

According to the region, the program helps to improve road safety and child and youth wellbeing. In some locations, the number of drivers slowing down to or below the speed limit has increased by 63 per cent since the cameras were installed, the region said.

Regional staff said some of the equipment could take 20 weeks for delivery, so they want to formalize a purchase order as soon as possible

The region is also working on a report for June that will look at implementing automated speed enforcement at all school zones, and review the opportunity to introduce Community Safety Zones as a way to expand the program even more. Community Safety Zones allow a municipality to designate certain stretches of road if they have special concerns about public safety, and impose higher fines for speeding in those locations.