Solar speed signs up on four main downtown roads
Newly installed solar speed signs are a constant reminder of the 25 mph speed limit for much of downtown Ellijay.
The flashing digital signs recently went up on each of downtown’s four main roads — River, North Main, Dalton and South Main Street.
“Last year, the mayor and city council asked me for recommendations to make the downtown area safer. Among my recommendations was a request for permanently mounted solar powered speed signs,” said Police Chief Edward Lacey. “My initial request was for at least two, with my dream request being three to four. I was pleased when they authorized four.”
The signs post speeds traveled by approaching vehicles. If those speeds exceed 25 mph, the messages “Too Fast” and “Slow Down” are displayed.
“The signs on Dalton Street and South Main Street are installed at the beginning of the 25 mph zones. Drivers approaching these signs are warned of speeds over 25, but are not violating the 25 mph zone until they reach the sign,” said Lacey.
The North Main Street and River Street signs are inside the 25 mph zone, and the North Main sign is in a school zone, Lacey noted. Drivers who receive excessive speed warnings from signs in those areas are actively violating the law and subject to citation, he said.
“Our intent is to bring a driver’s attention to their speed so that they can voluntarily comply with speed zones, thus making our downtown area safer,” Lacey said. “We’ve realized that most people speeding in the downtown area are operating their vehicles while their brain is in mental cruise control. In other words, the drivers have their attention on things other than their speed. Most think they are traveling at a safe speed when they are not.”
By instantly bringing attention to how fast or slow drivers are traveling, the hoped-for response is if someone sees they’re speeding, they’ll immediately slow to the posted speed limit. That type of reaction is similar to what might happen when a driver passes by a police car parked on the side of the road, Lacey noted.
“For the most part, when drivers see a patrol vehicle, they become aware of their speed and slow down to avoid being stopped. With the signs in place, we can have the same effect on traffic without the cost associated with having a police officer posted in that location,” Lacey said.
Speed enforcement and ticketing will still be done in areas with the signs, the police chief confirmed.
“(They) will make our enforcement efforts more efficient,” he added. “The data collected tells us the day of the week and time of day in which the majority of our speed issues occur. We can then focus our enforcement efforts on those times.”
Lacey said studies have shown that 80 percent of speeding drivers slow to the posted speed limit when made aware of their speed.
“If they speed past a sign, they’ve singled themselves out as one of the 20 percent (that does not slow down). They know what the speed limit is, as well as what their speed is. They’ve chosen to ignore both (and are) deserving of a citation,” he added.
Ellijay Police previously used a portable digital speed sign around town. Lacey said that sign was very effective as a traffic calming device, but taking it down to recharge and reinstall the battery every week was labor intensive. The new signs run on batteries charged by attached solar panels.
They also have tamper resistant features and can send the police department text alerts if someone tries to take them down, as well as alerts for conditions like congested traffic, Lacey noted.
“This allows us to send an officer out to investigate traffic backups. They also have active GPS, so if a sign is stolen or removed, we can easily track it,” he added.