The Bracebridge general committee recently debated the merits of automatic speed enforcement.
In July of 2021, Council put their formal support behind a motion endorsing the use of automatic speed enforcement, or photo radar as it is also known. At the time the Council also asked staff to investigate the feasibility of initiating photo radar in Bracebridge. During the last general committee meeting staff returned with that report.
The committee heard that automated speed enforcement (ASE) systems include the use of cameras and speed measurement devices to help enforce speed limits. The technology collects images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit and issues a monetary penalty to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Staff said to date 12 large municipalities have installed ASE in their communities. Those communities include the cities of Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. However, there is only one processing center in all of Ontario and it is located in the city of Toronto.
Staff also provided a breakdown of the potential cost of an ASE system, which ran well in excess of $1 million.
Geoff Carleton, the Town’s director of Public Works, said although the prices are currently substantial, more vendors are entering the market all the time. He said the biggest roadblock is the single processing center in Toronto, which is already operating at capacity.
Councillor Mark Quemby, one of the proponents of investigating the system, agreed that the costs make the project unfeasible for the time being.
“I don’t understand why this is so expensive,” said Quemby. “It would have been a good alternative but it’s out of our reach right now.”
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