SUFFOLK, Va. — Many drivers on U.S. Route 58 have strong opinions about the speed cameras near Holland Road.
"It is horrible, absolutely horrible," said Lauren Palin about the speeding tickets.
"When it comes to these tickets, they're horrible," said Antonio Dunn.
These are just two of many drivers I spoke with who frequently travel on U.S. Route 58.
Speed cameras appeared in this area in 2023, and with ongoing construction, the speed limit has been reduced to 35 mph. Anyone exceeding this limit risks receiving a ticket.
"We have gotten three of them. I got one, my son got one, and my wife got one," Dunn said.
Dunn drives from North Carolina to Suffolk at least three times a week for work. While he believes there should be traffic regulations, he thinks enforcement should depend on traffic flow.
"If they're going to put tickets, put it in a place that's not forced by busy and traffic rush because if you got the traffic rushing to get through you got to go with that traffic," Dunn said.
In early October, Suffolk Police Chief James Buie updated Suffolk City Council with statistics from the speed cameras on Holland Road.
Between 2023 and 2025, he reported an 81% drop in citations in that area. The chief also noted that accidents have decreased since the cameras were installed.
"That's telling me that the behavior is changing. That people aren't speeding like they were in the zone anymore. Making it safer for our workers on the roadway and making it safer for our police cars," Buie said.
Palin, who drives U.S. Route 58 every day for work, received a ticket when the cameras first appeared, and the experience has changed her driving habits ever since.
"I go under the speed limit because I'm petrified of getting another ticket," Palin said.
Chief Buie maintains that if the cameras inspire people to drive slower, then the mission has been accomplished.
