Buffalo’s School Zone Safety Program has been plagued with so many mistakes and missteps that some city lawmakers are considering keeping the speed zones but pausing or ending the ticketing component.
The program uses cameras to capture speeding drivers in 20 school speed zones near public, private and charter schools. Drivers captured on camera traveling at least 26 mph while beacons are flashing receive a $50 citation mailed to the car's registered owner. From that, the city receives $36, and $14 goes to the camera company, Sensys Gatso.
But some Common Council members said Tuesday that they have heard too many complaints about the program, among them that:
– Hundreds of citations were sent out before cameras started operating again briefly in October.
– Some constituents have received speeding citations for times when the cameras were not supposed to be activated.
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– Often no one answers the phone number on the citation to call for more information or messages were left and went unreturned.
– And some motorists have received citations, paid the ticket and then received multiple, duplicate tickets for the same violation.
The program remains in effect for the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood Children’s Academy on Bailey Avenue, and the speed camera at the location is active, said Mayor Byron W. Brown.
The re-examination of the program comes amid the news that about 20,000 motorists who received speeding citations postmarked more than 14 business days after the date of the alleged infraction will have their fines dismissed or receive a complete refund if they’ve already paid.
Mayor Byron W. Brown said in a statement that his administration has spoken to the vendor to express his disappointment and will hold the vendor accountable "for this situation while ensuring that an error like this does not occur again."
Still, Brown said he is committed to "administering this program efficiently for the protection of our students, teachers, school staff, and pedestrians whose safety remains our top priority.”
But some city lawmakers said it may be time to reassess the citation component of the program as the list of problems keeps growing.
“I am just as frustrated as people who are receiving tickets late or receiving tickets where schools are closed and other problems with this program,” said Council President Darius Pridgen. “There is a discussion of either pausing this program or attempting to halt it permanently, but we won’t make a decision until we see that data, and that is what the resolution is calling for today.”
The Common Council adopted a resolution Tuesday requesting Corporation Counsel to provide an opinion on the validity of the tickets that have been issued since the Nov. 17 ordinance amendment that changed the hours of enforcement and mandated additional signage and relocation of beacons to warn drivers they are approaching a speed zone. Council members say in many instances the beacons have not been moved and signs have not been added, which has contributed to driver confusion.
The resolution also requests from the administration the number of citations allegedly issued outside of the stated enforcement days and hours.
The Council is also asking the administration to review and refund all invalid school speed zone citations without the person needing to request it.
Sensys Gatso blamed the delay of the 20,000 citations on “a severe ice storm in the Midwest the week of October 26th, affecting both our fulfillment processing center and the United States Postal Service."
If this is some nefarious scheme to force people to spend more time in the city, in the hope that by driving so slowly they’re more apt to notice stores and shops, it won’t work, Rod Watson says.
State legislation that permits Buffalo to install cameras in the school zones says the citations must be mailed to the vehicle owners within 14 business days of the alleged infraction.
In addition, the city and Sensys Gatso have agreed that a local fulfillment center be used to process the citations as soon as possible and plans for a local call center will be developed in partnership with the City of Buffalo’s Economic Development Division.
But some Council members are still concerned about the program.
North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr. said, "This has probably been the number one issue that my office has received emails and phone message about."
Niagara Council Member and Majority Leader David A. Rivera said the program is a "mess," but he doesn't just blame the vendor.
"The city is responsible for the actual installation of beacons, the putting up of signs, the adjudication … so they’re not off the hook either.”
