Speed Cameras Possibly Coming To A School Zone Near You

Whether it is a safety measure or moneymaker, speed cameras could soon go up in several school zones in Las Cruces.

“Yeah, keep the kids from getting hurt,? a Las Cruces resident said.

Mayfield is just one of seven school zones city leaders are considering for speed cameras.

?The way these fools drive, they can just easily run them over,? another man said.

But the city would not get the money generated from collected fines; instead, officials said it would go to help Las Cruces Public Schools.

But not everyone thinks this is the answer to making school areas safer.

Traffic congestion is a constant threat for kids crossing the street to and from school.

“The objective is to make these things safer, especially for the school-aged kids using them,? Dan Soriano, traffic engineer for the Las Cruces Metropolitan Planning Organization, said.

When yellow lights in school zones are flashing, most cars slow to a 15 mile per hour crawl. But city councilors are considering mobile speed cameras to reinforce the law at seven different school zones: Mayfield and Las Cruces High, Camino Real Middle, and Conlee, Desert Hills, Hermosa Heights and Hillrise Elementary.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t see someone speeding in a school zone,? Mayor Ken Miyagishima said. ?Bottom line is just to keep it, the speed, under 15 miles an hour and make sure our school zones are safe for our children.”

Others say blanketing the city with more cameras, instead of officers, is not the answer.

“The mileage is so low, your 15 mile speed limits, how are you going to decide, the cars are so close,? Councilor Dolores Connor said. ?There’s a lot of discrepancies that could come up with who actually was speeding in those school zones.”

Some argue speed cameras are a violation of constitutional rights.

“There’s no due process there,? Bill McCamley, a former Dona Ana County Commissioner, said. ?You can’t go and have a conversation with a cop and take it to municipal court.”

While others on the fence say more education is the answer.

“I would encourage the city to spend more time and effort in the training of drivers in the city rather than approach them under the idea that they’re abating a nuisance,” Anthony Avallone, a retired attorney who is currently suing the city over the cameras, said.

ABC-7 also called El Paso?s three largest school districts. Officials all said this is something the city would have to consider.

“If we can find something that’ll help make these a little more safe, bring the violation rate down, then I think it’s worth the endeavor to look into,? Soriano said.