Speed cameras have been installed at two new school zones in Bibb County and are slated to start tracking drivers’ speeds on Aug. 5, the first day of school.
In neighboring Houston County, where school started Wednesday, speed cameras are fully functional near certain schools in Warner Robins and Perry.
In Bibb County, drivers initially will only be issued a warning in the new zones surrounding Vineville Academy of the Arts and Heritage Elementary School in August. Full enforcement and ticketing will begin on Sept. 9, according to a Macon-Bibb County news release.
The camera installation is an effective way to change people’s behavior and ensure the safety of local school children, Mayor Lester Miller said in January.
Next week, existing cameras in school zones will also begin enforcing the speed limit with tickets at the following schools: Carter Elementary, Hartley Elementary, Heard Elementary, Springdale Elementary, Appling Middle and Northeast High, Ballard-Hudson Middle and Ingram-Pye Elementary, Rutland Middle and High, Southwest High, Weaver Middle, Westside High, and Southwest High.
Citations using the cameras are only issued when a vehicle travels within a school zone more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
The first citation will be $100, and each subsequent citation will be $150.
Money collected from these fines will only be used to fund local law enforcement or public safety initiatives, according to officials. The citations will not affect a person’s driving record or insurance points. All citations are reviewed by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to ensure its compliance with Macon code.
Vineville Academy of the Arts is located at 2260 Vineville Ave., and Heritage Elementary School is located at 6050 Thomaston Road.
School, enforcement hours
The cameras actively enforce the speed limit on school days when classes are in session, from one hour before the start of school until one hour after dismissal. The start and end times and the enforcement times are below for the Bibb County School District:
Elementary School
School Time: 8:20 a.m. – 3:20 p.m.
Enforcement: 7:20 a.m. – 4:20 p.m.
Middle School
School Time: 9:05 a.m. – 4:05 p.m.
Enforcement: 8:05 a.m. – 5:05 p.m.
High School
School Time: 7:30 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
Enforcement: 6:30 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
The flashing lights in a school zone only indicate the reduced limit around the beginning and end of school. The cameras enforce both the reduced speed limit and the regular speed limit in the middle of the day, officials said.
Houston County
In Warner Robins, speed cameras are near Warner Robins High School, Lake Joy Elementary and Primary schools, Northside High School and Huntington Middle School.
The speed cameras are active from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and then from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. when school is in session — not on holidays or breaks, said Assistant Police Chief Todd Edwards.
“Ensuring the safety of our students is our top priority,” Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda W. Patrick said in a news release. “As we welcome the new school year, I urge all residents and commuters to drive responsibly and adhere to the speed limits in school zones.”
Drivers speeding 11 mph or more over the speed limit can expect a $75 fine for their first violation and $125 fine for each subsequent violation. The fine generally includes an additional $5 processing fee.
In Perry, school zone speed enforcement is only active for speed enforcement during the listed hours for each school:
Perry High School – 7:00 a.m.- 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Perry Middle School – 6:45 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mossy Creek Middle School – 6:45 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tucker Elementary – 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Morningside Elementary – 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Matt Arthur Elementary – 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The first violation is $75, and it’s $125 for subsequent violations in Perry.
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