Speeding Tickets Decrease 70% Since Project’s Completion
The number of tickets issued for speeding violations on a segment of Maryland Avenue dropped dramatically late last year following the completion of a city project that created bike lanes in both directions along the roadway.
A speed camera system monitoring the eastbound section of Maryland Avenue between South Washington Street and Great Falls Road issued an average of 647 speeding tickets per month during the first 11 months of 2021. In the first four months since the Maryland Avenue project’s completion in early December, there were an average of 192 tickets issued per month, a 70% decrease. Learn more about the city’s speed camera program at www.rockvillemd.gov/speedcameras.
The transformation of Maryland Avenue between South Washington Street and Great Falls Road employed the Complete Streets approach, removing one of the road’s eastbound lanes and redesigning the road to enable safe use and support mobility for all users.
Complete Streets projects like the one on Maryland Avenue increase bicycling facilities and multimodal travel, which can help reduce traffic congestion and emissions. Though it may seem counterintuitive, adding bicycle lanes can also improve driving safety. The reduction of speeding vehicles makes Maryland Avenue a better place for people to walk, ride a bicycle and drive.
The Maryland Avenue project demonstrates how the Complete Streets approach can help the city towards achieving the goals of Vision Zero, an action plan adopted by the Mayor and Council to eliminate traffic- and pedestrian-related deaths and serious injuries. Learn more at www.rockvillemd.gov/visionzero.