- Speed cameras are in place to prevent speeding in Valdosta's neighborhoods.
- Police have stepped up patrols around the city to keep traffic safe.
- Watch the video above to see what's being done to keep neighbors safe.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
School may not be in session, but these cameras will continue to catch speeders in the area.
"We want our babies safe."
I'm Malia Thomas, your neighborhood reporter in Valdosta. I've been tracking road safety in Valdosta for the last six months. Now, I'm seeing how the Valdosta Police is addressing neighbor's feedback.
I've spoken with neighbors like Laverne Neolms about traffic safety since last year. "It's all about safety."
She and people like Darryl Grove have noticed Valdosta's growth comes with heavier traffic. "The traffic has already gotten bad on James Road. From 84 to St. Augustine, it's gotten real real bad."
Neighbors like her have welcomed the addition of speed deterrents like school cameras in their neighborhoods, even though other neighbors like Kym Sanders are less than enthused about what she calls "speed traps".
"Well the ticket thing is iffy... I already know for a fact I'm going to make sure I don't get no ticket." Cameras by schools like W.G. Nunn and SL Mason come with a a $75 citation for your first offense over 11 mph.
The main issue? This only applies when school is in session, and West Gordon and East Park aren't the only busy areas of Valdosta. Intersections like Pineview and Deborah Drive are near heavy traffic areas, and that intersection alone has seen 10 accidents in two years.
According to VPD, traffic concerns have only heightened in the last month since school let out.
Their solution? They tell me in a statement: "To address these concerns, members of the Valdosta Police Department Traffic Unit, Power Squad, and Patrol Bureau conducted concentrated traffic enforcement on Friday and Saturday nights. During this traffic enforcement operation, officers conducted over 140 traffic stops."
These traffic stops led to over 100 citations and 40 warnings, with speeding being the most common offense.
According to our city's Metro Planning Organization, roads like Barack Obama and East Park are noted hot spots for traffic and accidents. Something to think about next time you're on the road.
