Sahuarita school crossing light now has non-ticketing radar

DAVID L. TEIBEL
Tucson Citizen

Police and educators who worry about motorists speeding through a Sahuarita school crossing zone on the town's west side may be in for some relief.
The town is installing a solar-powered, flashing school crossing assembly on South La Cañada Drive at West Camino Antigua.
The lights will flash a yellow warning to motorists that they are approaching a school zone, and a built-in radar gun will clock motorists and flash their speed on a digital display, said Sahuarita police Sgt. Matt McGlone. The radar gun is not a photo radar gun of the type used to ticket traffic scofflaws, McGlone said.
The lights will be set to flash when school is in session, said Rick Robinson, the town's acting assistant traffic engineer.
The lights will be visible for a mile, Robinson said, adding they should help to slow traffic on La Cañada, which is posted at 45 miles per hour but often sees motorists whizzing through the crossing at 40 to 50 mph.
"For a long time it has been a real compliance issue," said Beth Phillips, founder and director of the Great Expectations Academy, a charter school at 1466 W. Camino Antigua.
Students at the school use the crosswalk where the light and radar assembly will be.
"And this will help. It's high visibility," Phillips said.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday near the school, McGlone said.
The $27,000 light assembly was paid for by a grant from the Pima County Regional Transportation Authority, Robinson said.