COMMUNITY NEWS

North Merrick gets second speed-zone camera

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Fayette School has joined the list of community schools outside which motorists must slow down or else risk a speeding ticket.

That’s because American Traffic Solutions, Nassau County’s school speed zone cameras contractor, has stationed a mobile camera on Merrick Avenue outside Fayette.

Motorists receive tickets when they drive through a school zone at 10 mph faster than the posted speed limit, according to Nassau County's website. The limit by Fayette is 30 mph. Tickets are $80 each.

The New York State Legislature gave Nassau County approval to install one camera per school district. There is already a camera on Merrick Avenue outside Camp Avenue Elementary School, which, like Fayette, is in the North Merrick School District. When the Camp Avenue camera is on, the Fayette camera will be off, and vice versa, according to county spokesman Brian Nevin.

“All school zone safety cameras are subject to change based upon motorist compliance with the law and concerns raised by school district officials,” said Judge John Marks, executive director of the Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency, in an email. “Currently, a permanent location is at Camp Avenue Elementary School. A mobile unit has been alternatively deployed to Fayette Elementary School. No school district is exempt from this practice.”

David Feller, superintendent of the North Merrick School District, said county officials did not consult North Merrick school officials about the speed cameras, other than to inquire what hours the district’s schools are in session.

The superintendent said, however, that he believes “people should follow the speed limit in front of schools.”

“All the cameras are doing is enforcing the speed limit, and I think it’s a good thing if people obey the speed limit,” Feller said.

Correction: An earlier version of this article indicated incorrectly that the speed limit in Nassau County's school zones is 20 miles per hour. The limit actually varies across school zones. The Fayette School zone limit is 30 mph. The Herald Life regrets the error.