Speed cameras on the streets around Buffalo schools will be activated at arrival and dismissal time, and during other periods that a school and its Common Council representative agree on, according to a compromise worked out Monday between the Brown administration and city lawmakers.
The deal means the Council won't have to vote on whether to overturn Mayor Byron W. Brown’s veto of the Council's amendment to limit the hours of enforcement of the city’s School Zone Safety Program.
The compromise essentially calls for speed cameras and flashing beacons to be activated at arrival and dismissal times at 20 at public, private and charter schools in the city. For any activities outside of those hours – such as sporting events, outdoor walks or recess and activities that involve students going off campus – individual school leaders will have to request camera activation from their respective Council member, said University Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt, who sponsored the legislation.
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The Buffalo Common Council intends to vote next week on overturning a mayoral veto over the hours of enforcement for speed zone cameras.
The School Zone Safety Program uses cameras to capture speeding drivers in the 20 school speed zones. Corresponding flashing beacons warn drivers approaching during the times that the posted 15 mph limit is in effect. The zones were selected based on accident and traffic data.
Drivers captured on camera traveling at least 26 mph while the beacons are flashing receive a $50 citation mailed to the car's registered owner. Of that, the city receives $36, with $14 going to the camera company, said Parking Commissioner Kevin Helfer.
The original hours of enforcement were from one hour before the start of school through one hour after the close of school and during student activities. The Buffalo Board of Education, Buffalo Teachers Federation and many parent groups supported that all-day enforcement, saying that kids come and go throughout the day.
But under the proposal that the Council will approve Tuesday, the cameras and beacons will be activated one hour before the start time of each school, to one hour after the start time; and again one hour before the end time at each school, to one hour after dismissal, according to documents filed with the city clerk’s office Monday.
Individual school leaders will have to request from their Council member camera and beacon activation in cases where anticipated drop-off or pick-up of students at school-sanctioned events – such as sporting events, concerts and conferences – may cause a larger than normal number of students or parents to be at the school.
In such cases, the school will have to submit a request form provided by the city’s Department of Public Works, Parks and Streets. It will be up to the Council member to approve or deny the request within five days. If the Council member does not act, the request is automatically granted.
The agreement may be the final step in a long process of finalizing the program.
Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and the Common Council are still at odds over speed zone cameras outside 20 public, private and charter schools.
The cameras were activated in January in 14 school zones during a month-long grace period in which speeding motorists were issued warnings without fines.
Then the city decided to install the flashing beacons. The first set went live March 11, but the speed zone program was suspended days later when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo ordered all school buildings in the state closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
After hearing from some residents during a public hearing later in March – many who felt the all-day enforcement was a money grab by the city – the Council voted 6-3 to amend the hours of enforcement to 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday's compromise recognizes that schools don't all begin or end at the same time.
The mayor vetoed the amendment in October, and five of the school speed zone cameras went into effect at six private or parochial schools that reopened in September.
