By: SUMAYA ABDEL-MOTAGALY
The city of Laurel activated three new speed cameras June 9.
Two cameras face each way in the median of Route 198 between 9th and 10th. The third camera faces south on Route 1 at Main Street.
“We want our roadways to be safer for people who are out there driving on them and for the pedestrians who are crossing them,” Laurel Police Deputy Chief, Mark Plazinski said. “Speed is always in your top three reasons for collisions. When you exceed the posted speed limit, those collisions become exponentially more deadly.”
Locations were chosen based on data studies from the Department of Public Works, with citizen complaints a factor, as well. Heavy pedestrian traffic, particularly near schools and libraries, was also a consideration.
Plaziniski noted several speeding incidents on Route 198 that led to the addition of the new speed camera. In 2023, a vehicle crashed into an apartment at Cross Creek Apartments, killing a man in his bed. In the same year, a car crashed into Laurel Tavern Donuts, causing significant damage. The shop was shut down for months.
“People speed on every road, but we’re looking for areas where lots of people are exceeding the speed limit by large amounts,” Plaziniski said.
Some residents online expressed their disapproval on the department’s Facebook page, questioning the motives behind the installations and calling speed cameras money makers.
Laurel Councilmember Jeffrey Mills (Ward 2) noted that money from the speeding fines is used to enforce public safety.
“If you get a ticket for speeding, that means you were breaking the law,” Mills said. As a child, he witnessed a speeding car hit and kill his friend. “We have to slow down, and if it costs a $40 fee, that is the consequence we have to pay.”