Speed camera pilot shows large share of motorists exceeding limits; board to seek vendors

Winchester — Automated speed cameras deployed briefly in April recorded large rates of speeding at three Route 44 locations, and the Board of Selectmen directed staff to begin the vendor solicitation process to explore automated speed enforcement.

A board member who presented the study, calling out data collected by a firm the town engaged for short trials, said the company placed covert data‑collection cameras from late March through April at three northbound and southbound points on Route 44. The presenter reported 33,301 vehicles at one site with 25,303 recorded as speeding (75.9%), 43,049 vehicles at a second site with about 29,868 speeders (≈69%), and 38,589 vehicles at a third site with similar high speeding counts. The presenter said the maximum speeds recorded were as high as 148 miles per hour at one site and 113 miles per hour at another, and the average speed at one site was 53 mph.

The presenter cautioned that state law requires signage marking automated enforcement zones, and that the trial cameras were covert so drivers were not warned during the data collection. He told the board that Connecticut law sets the ticketing threshold at 10 mph over the posted limit and that the statutory fines are $50 for a first automated enforcement offense and $75 for a second within 30 days. He also said the statute prevents automated citations from adding DMV license points or being reported to insurers, but it does permit withholding vehicle registration for unpaid automated fines. The presenter said the vendor (SiteStream) would take $20 of each $50 citation as its fee; staff said the vendor normally handles citation processing and collections.

Board members asked whether the state DOT must approve locations (it must), whether signs are required (they are), and how long the town would wait between placing cameras and issuing civil citations (the first 30 days are typically warnings). The town manager and selectmen discussed an 8–12 month timeline to full deployment and that the DOT has a statutory 60‑calendar‑day review period for applications.

Direction: Without committing to a final vendor, the board concluded it should pursue an RFQ/RFP to gather multiple proposals, identify additional candidate locations (with emphasis on slowing traffic on Main Street), and query competing vendors about costs and collection rates. The board also asked staff to prepare maps of potential camera sites and to bring back specific locations for public hearing and DOT application steps if the board chooses to proceed.

Why it matters: The trial numbers indicate high rates of speeding along the tested segments; automated enforcement would be intended to reduce speeds and supplement officer presence, but state statute limits penalties and imposes procedural requirements.