Mesa, Arizona Lowers Photo Radar-Trigger to 5 over vs 11over

Mesa, Arizona Lowers Photo Radar Trigger Speed
Mesa, Arizona lowers threshold for photo radar to entrap drivers in school zone.

Mesa cameraTo boost revenue, Mesa, Arizona is lowering the speed that triggers a photo radar citation in the city from 11 MPH over the limit to just 5 MPH over. The city uses five speed camera vans operated throughout the city by camera vendor ACS which receives a cut of the profit for each ticket issued.

Mesa will now ticket motorists if they drive 40 MPH near the Rhodes Junior High School between 7:30am and 6pm, even when no children are present. The road has a 45 MPH speed limit except during school hours, but no flashing warning signs are present to remind motorists to adhere to the lower 35 MPH limit. The city recently extended the school zone hours from 4pm to 6pm.

Activists are looking to make the school zone limit apply around the clock, a move that was tried and rejected in 1987.

Source: Speeders near schools, beware (Arizona Republic, 12/28/2005)