Mayor Michael O’Connor is excited to announce the formation of a new initiative designed to increase traffic safety and combat speeding. Operation Safe Speed will combine a team of officers at the Frederick Police Department and traffic engineering staff in the Department of Public Works to conduct enforcement and analysis operations at selected locations throughout the City.
Over the past several months, the Frederick Police Department and The City of Frederick have received numerous inquiries and complaints regarding drivers speeding in specific areas of the City. A large majority of these complaints relate to drivers speeding on Monocacy Boulevard and Christopher’s Crossing. Frederick Police Department has responded to these complaints by running more than 70 small data-driven enforcement operations to monitor driver speed. During these enforcement operations, officers monitored driver speeds as they pass by, and issued citations when appropriate.
“Neighborhood speeding is a quality of life concern that deserves a whole-City response as the answers include enforcement, engineering, and personal accountability. This inter-departmental collaboration expands our current efforts and dedicates resources to address habitual speeding in our City communities. I ask the community to partner with us ensuring the streets of Frederick are a safe place for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” shared Mayor O’Connor.
Operation Safe Speed will aim to address those concerns and increase road safety in our community. Using enforcement and engineering responses, the data collected from enforcement operations and other interventions, such as speed boxes and crash data, will allow the City to make adjustments as warranted.
“The Frederick Police Department works hard to maintain a high quality of life for the residents of the City. Safe roads are a major part of that quality of life,” said Chief of Police Jason Lando. “Based on feedback from our residents and our police officers, and as our city continues to grow, Operation Safe Speed is a crucial first step in expanding our traffic safety efforts. The team's data-driven enforcement efforts are an example of 21st-century community policing at work.”
As the City launches this effort, residents are encouraged to continue reporting traffic safety concerns at frederickmd.gov/trafficconcern.
All travelers are reminded to be cautious on the roads and follow these tips to stay safe:
- Pay attention to your speed and the cars on the road around you.
- Give yourself time to get where you’re going by leaving a few minutes early.
- Know the speed limits of the roads you are on.
- Think about the consequences of the act of speeding (ie: receiving a ticket, getting into an accident, injuring others).
- Use cruise control when possible to ensure you are traveling at a safe speed.
