NEWINGTON, CT — Fairfield is the latest Connecticut municipality to be approved for automated traffic enforcement cameras by the state.
The town joins nine other municipalities approved so far: Beacon Falls, Greenwich, Marlborough, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, Stratford, Wethersfield and Washington.
Two other applications are pending review by the state Department of Transportation: Hamden and Stamford. Many other municipalities, including West Hartford and Orange, are in the process of completing their applications.
Related: What you need to know about CT’s traffic cameras
Fairfield’s traffic camera plan includes six locations, all in school zones. Cameras have been proposed by Burr Elementary School on Burr Street, Timothy Dwight Elementary on Redding Road, Riverfield Elementary on Mill Plain Road, Notre Dame Preparatory School on Jefferson Street, Ludlow High & Middle schools on Unquowa Road and by Warde High on Melville Avenue.
Studies of those areas show high volume of traffic and many drivers exceeding posted speed limits, according to the town’s application.
Speed limits in those school zones will be marked at 20 mph, according to the application. The traffic cameras will pick up a vehicle going 10 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
“(The plan) is designed to reduce the dangerous conditions within our community overall, and at the selected locations specifically,” Police Chief Michael E. Paris wrote in the town’s application. “These dangerous conditions contribute to traffic collisions, serious injuries, and deaths involving pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and vulnerable roadway users.”
The speed cameras will take a picture of the offending vehicle’s license plate. This image will be reviewed by a law enforcement official. If applicable, a fine will be mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner, with a first offense costing $50 and subsequent offenses $75. Most municipalities will also charge a $15 administrative fee to process the fines.
A roadway safety law passed by the legislature in its 2023 session allows for towns and cities to employ speed cameras and red-light cameras to enforce local traffic ordinances. A municipality looking to submit a plan to the state DOT must first hold a public hearing, and the plan must show how the devices could help improve traffic safety.
The law provides 60 days for submitted plans to be reviewed by the DOT and then approved or rejected. If a plan is rejected, the DOT will provide specific justifications and guidelines on how to resubmit.
Once a plan is approved, it is good for three years. Municipalities can reapply once the three years are up, the DOT said.