PORTSMOUTH, Va. — This is a reminder for all drivers in Portsmouth.
Starting Monday, traffic cameras will begin enforcing speed limits in several areas near schools in Portsmouth.
Linda McFarland lives near Churchland Middle School and said the traffic can be downright scary.
"People are flying through, going way too fast and not watching out for the kids," she said.
It's just one area where cameras will begin issuing warnings for drivers who are speeding.
Citations will be issued when a driver travels within a school zone more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit, according to the Portsmouth Police Department.
The photo speed enforcement will be around seven Portsmouth schools:
- I.C. Norcom High School
- Douglass Park Elementary School
- Lakeview Elementary School
- Churchland Middle School
- Brighton Elementary School
- S.H. Clarke Academy
- Simonsdale Elementary School
The cameras will be on during the whole school day, starting 30 minutes prior to classes beginning going until 30 after minutes classes let out.
Portsmouth
Cameras to monitor Portsmouth school zone speed in new campaign: Police
All speed limits are marked with signs, and flashing lights near schools will indicate a reduced speed.
Lynette Powell lives on Portsmouth Boulevard near Douglass Park Elementary School, another area where cameras will start enforcing the speed. She hopes this will force drivers to slow down.
"I'm nearly getting killed trying to hold my baby's hand to get back and forth to the bus," Powell said. "You don't know how many times you hear screeching [of cars] about to hit somebody."
Powell said the traffic isn't safe for her kids to walk to school.
"I had to get my daughter's bus rerouted all the way around so she could get dropped off in front of our house because it was very unsafe for an 11-year-old," Powell said.
The first citation from these cameras will be $100 and so will all the others that follow.
While the campaign starts Monday, drivers will have a 30-day warning period. But come Dec. 1, these cameras will start issuing citations, according to Portsmouth police.
