Youngstown traffic-cam program falling short of goal

YOUNGSTOWN

The city’s civil speeding violation program shows no sign of slowing down, with 1,196 motorists cited in January.

The program’s goal is to reduce the speed of drivers in school zones and on highways, city officials say.

But that apparently isn’t happening.

The number of citations last month was above average.

The program started Aug. 18, 2015, with 5,051 motorists receiving speeding citations last year. That’s an average of about 1,120 a month.

Of the 1,196 citations last month, 665 have been mailed, with 111 paying, said Lt. William Ross, head of the city police department’s traffic unit, which operates the speed-camera program. That’s a collection rate of only 17 percent.

In 2015, 52 percent of those cited paid the city.

Read more about the situation and the program in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.