NORTON — Thousands of speeding citations totaling more than $1.8 million was the result of a nearly two-month implementation of the photo speed enforcement program in the city of Norton.
The Norton Police Department put the Manned Photo LIDAR unit in place on Sept. 10. Since then, 9,352 tickets were given out to drivers going 65 miles per hour or more over the 55 mph speed limit that was set during construction. The top speed police recorded was listed at 107 miles per hour.
The program that would set up manned speed cameras along Interstate 76 in Norton was established under a city ordinance to put the cameras in use during the construction zones in the area. The city has stated the purpose of the program was to get drivers to slow down and reduce traffic crashes in the construction zone. Under the ordinance, tickets would only be issued to drivers traveling 10 mph or more over the speed limit.
Police Chief John Dalessandro told WKYC he was “shocked” to see the number of people who were caught speeding through the area. He noted that family, friends and coworkers have also received those violations.
From January through September, police said there were called to 117 crashes along that stretch, which is about 13 a month. Since the program was put in place, police reported they responded to only six in October.
In all, about $1.8 million dollars in fines were sent out to drivers. Of that number, 40 percent would go the company behind the equipment. If all the fines are paid, the city of Norton would be in line to collect more than $1 million with the first $450,000 of the revenue directed to the police department.
On Nov. 5, police temporarily suspended the program because there will be a break in construction activity during the winter season. It’s scheduled to be back in place in early spring through the end of construction which is expected to wrap up in late 2019.
Once construction is completed, the city plans to return the traffic cameras to the company.
While the photo enforcement program has been temporarily suspended, police stated they will still add extra patrol units on the ground level to monitor speeds.