Fairhope Police adding additional signs, technology to address speeding
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FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG) – Not one, but two signs are now flashing and warning drivers to slow down near downtown Fairhope. The new technology was announced in December, but lately it’s been used more frequently to address concerns. The second sign was installed this month.
“We get traffic complaints every day of speeding. This town is growing, obviously there’s a lot of traffic in it and on top of it we’ve got a lot of construction going on,” said Lt. Shane Nolte with Fairhope Police.
The recent downtown road work is forcing more traffic into other areas creating a dangerous mix. Fairhope Police say they’re getting more aggressive with enforcement since January when the first sign went up.
“We do have a lot of walking traffic, we’ve got a lot of bikes, we’ve got a lot of kids on bikes, skateboards,” Nolte added.
The signs are solar-powered and send back real-time data to police who can then place an officer in problem areas and also give them a better idea of where those problem spots are located. For months there’s only been one sign, but soon 5 signs will be sending back that data to police.
“They’ll keep a study on the speed and how many cars and things like that,” Nolte said.
The $17,000 investment is well worth it according to Lt. Nolte who says they’ve tried everything from speed bumps to having more officers on the street. The signs can be moved from one location to another to help police keep a closer watch on the city.
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