NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – The City of New Orleans announced the locations of over 50 new traffic cameras that are set to be installed in 2017.
Installation work for 45 permanent traffic safety cameras and 10 mobile units will begin January 9 and is expected to last through April 2017.
The majority of the cameras will be added to existing school zones in an effort to step up enforcement of speed restrictions in areas that see heavy foot traffic by school-aged children.
There are 134 schools in New Orleans, but only 21 are protected by traffic cameras, according to the city.
“With thousands of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians on the roads every day, specifically in school zones, it’s our job to do everything in our power to increase road safety,” City of New Orleans Department of Public Works Director Col. Mark Jernigan said. “We have come a long way in making driving safer in New Orleans but we still have work to do. We want the public to be aware that there are consequences for those who break the law and jeopardize the safety of our students, bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians.”
The Traffic Camera Safety Program is designed to deter red light violations, reduce speeding violations, increase traffic situational awareness, and reduce collision severity, and the city says the program is working.
Over 80 percent of individuals who receive a traffic safety camera citation and pay it do not get another citation, according to a press release announcing the new cameras.
There are currently 66 traffic cameras installed in 42 locations across the city.
“The camera system is vital to the everyday working relationship with the New Orleans Police Department because it gives an extra set of eyes and evidence to help support the actual violations,” NOPD Traffic Division Commander Lt. Anthony Micheu said. “If we can save one life because of any of the cameras placed we do believe that that’s an effective tool.”
The cameras will be activated in the following locations:
Napoleon Ave. @ St. George’s Episcopal School
Fontainebleau Ave. @ St. Rita Catholic School
Prentiss Ave. @ Holy Cross School
Martin Luther King Blvd. @ Sylvanie Williams Prep
S. Carrollton Ave. @ Lafayette School
Canal St. @ St. John Lutheran School
Napoleon Ave. @ St. Stephen School
St. Bernard Ave. @ Nelson Elementary School
Magazine St. @ St. Katherine Drexel
L.B. Landry Ave. @ Fischer Elementary
Jackson Ave. @ Mahalia Jackson Elementary
Bienville St. @ Success Prep
S. Carrollton Ave. @ Stuart Hall School
Jefferson Ave. @ Isidore Newman
Canal St. @ Warren Easton High School
Esplanade Ave. @ Bricolage Academy
Mirabeau St. / Louisa St. @ Parkview Elementary
Broadway St. @ Audubon Charter School
Trafalgar St. @ Langston Hughes Elementary
Robert E. Lee Blvd. @ Mount Carmel High School
Berkley Drive @ Algiers Tech Academy
Spanish Fort Blvd. @ St Pius X School
Paris Ave. @ St Leo the Great
Magnolia St. @ KIPP Central
Magazine Ave. @ Ecole Bilingue
Baronne St. @ Good Shepard School
N. Dorgenois St. @ Life Christ Christian Academy
A.P. Tureaud Ave. @ St. Augustine High School
Esplanade Ave. @ McDonogh 28 Elementary
Nashville Ave. /Freret St. @ Lusher Middle & High Schools
Broadway St. @ Lusher Elementary
Orleans Ave. @ Wheatley Elementary
Traffic safety camera citations are issued when violators exceed the posted speed limit by six miles per hour inside of a school zone. The mile per hour threshold for non-school zone time traffic safety camera citations is 10 miles per hour or greater over the posted speed limit, according to the city.
School zone times are from 7–9 a.m. and from 2:45–4:45 p.m.