Speed cameras coming to six school zones

Within 90 days, speed detection cameras will be installed in six school zones throughout Sarasota. On Monday the City Commission approved a contract with vendor RedSpeed Florida LLC to install and operate cameras that will enable the Sarasota Police Department to issue $100 citations to drivers who exceed school zone speed limits.

The ordinance takes advantage of House Bill 657, enacted in 2023, which authorizes local governments to enforce speed limits in school zones through speed detection systems. At its July 1 meeting the commission directed the City Attorney's Office to prepare an ordinance to establish the program.

Cameras will be installed at:

• Alta Vista Elementary, 800-900 block of South Tuttle Avenue and 900-1100 block of South Shade Avenue.
• Southside Elementary, 2400-2900 blocks of South Osprey Avenue, 1800-2000 blocks of Webber Street and 2700-2900 blocks of South Tamiami Trail.
• Tuttle Elementary, 600-800 blocks of North Tuttle Avenue, 700-800 block of North Lime Avenue and 700-800 block of North Lockwood Ridge Road.
• Cardinal Mooney High, 4000-4300 blocks of Fruitville Road.
• Sarasota High, 2000-2200 blocks of Bahia Vista Street.
• Sarasota Military Academy, 700-800 block of North Orange Avenue.

Per state statute, no citations will be issued until a law officer first reviews and confirms the violation. The city must spend at least 30 days educating the public about the new enforcement measures and  may initially issue only warnings before it may levy fines.

Only the most egregious violators will be cited, those going at least 10 miles per hour above the speed limit. Additionally, no points will be assessed on driver’s licenses and insurance companies will not be notified of the citation.

Per $100 citation, funds are distributed as follows:

• City of Sarasota: $39.
• RedSpeed: $21.
• State General Fund: $20.
• Local school district: $12.
• School Crossing Guard Recruitment and Retention: $5.
• FDLE Criminal Standards and Training Fund: $3.

A five-day study at the behest of the Sarasota Police Department found 17,445 vehicles exceeding the school zone speed limit on Fruitville Road at Cardinal Mooney High School. In all, the study revealed 45,563 violations of 10 miles per hour or faster in school zones around 12 schools in the city, an overall daily average of 3,797. 

Once operational, signs warning drivers of the speed cameras must be posted and the city must spend at least 30 days educating the public about the new enforcement measures and initially only issue warnings before levying fines.