New Signs Help Cut Down Speeding Near Cinnaminson Schools: Police

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Four new solar powered signs in Cinnaminson are being used to alert drivers as to how fast they are going in an effort to cut down on speeding in high traffic areas and near schools, police announced recently.

The signs use radar to determine how fast a car is going, then display that speed to make drivers more aware. When a car exceeds the speed limit, the sign flashes the numerical speed as well as a bright white light.

Visual feedback is disabled after a car reaches a certain speed in an effort to stop anyone from “racing” the sign to see how high they can get the sign to read, police said. The feedback has reduced speeding by about 5 to 10 percent, and that reduced speed usually lasts for several miles past the sign, police said.

“In the past, we’ve had complaints of people speeding, people not paying attention, and this is one way to get them to slow down,” Cinnaminson Police Chief Richard Calabrese said.

The signs are part of a shared services agreement between the township and the school district. The township paid for the equipment and the school district paid for the installation, Calabrese said. This allowed the township to get more signs because it didn’t have to worry about the installation.

The equipment costs about $13,000, and the installation is about $1,000 a sign. The township purchased eight signs, four of which have been installed in the past few weeks.

They are currently installed on New Albany Road in front of the New Albany Elementary School and on Forklanding Road in front of the Cinnaminson Middle School. Additional signs will be installed on Wynwood Drive, as well as other high traffic areas in Cinnaminson. The majority of the signs will be installed at or near the district’s elementary and middle schools.

If they are successful, the police department will look to have them installed in other high traffic areas, Calabrese said. He said the police department is already receiving calls about setting up signs in other areas. The township can look into adding signs based on demand.

The signs record traffic volume and speed. Police are then able to use that data to conduct traffic studies. However, the signs don’t record speeds for specific cars, and can’t be used to issue tickets, police said.
“It helps us realize where the problems are,” Calabrese said. “We can set up a speed deterrent, and we can set up heavier enforcement in the area.”