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Student, pedestrian and bicyclist safety in front of Albany High School and several other schools is getting a boost to start the new year with the City of Albany’s implementation of speed cameras in four school zones.

Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter joined Mayor Kathy Sheehan and other officials at Albany High on the first day of school Friday to announce one of the city’s first speed camera zones in front of the high school on Washington Avenue.

Mayor Sheehan also noted the recent placement of new stop signs at North Main Avenue and Chestnut Street – the rear entrance to Albany High – as additional new traffic measures intended to keep students safe around the high school. 

Speed cameras also went into use Friday on Western Avenue in front of Eagle Point Elementary School and the nearby All Saints Academy. 

Additional cameras are scheduled to go into use within the next two weeks on:

• Delaware Avenue near William S. Hackett Middle School and Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology, and
• Whitehall Road in front of Albany School of Humanities near Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School

“We are grateful to Mayor Sheehan for her leadership in bringing these important new traffic safety measures to our school communities," Hochreiter said. "This will bring significant and much-needed safety improvements for our students, families, faculty and staff.”

The speed cameras are intended to help enforce the citys' 20 mph speed limit in school zones. Over time, the city plans to expand the use of speed cameras to serve 20 school zones throughout Albany.

“Installing school zone speed cameras is yet another way we are further enhancing public safety,” the mayor said. “This change, coupled with the Albany Police Department patrol division, red light cameras, speed humps, traffic calming infrastructure, and our forthcoming 25 mph speed limit will be a powerful combination of tools designed to slow down traffic and make it safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers who utilize our streets.”

Each speed camera will operate in a “warning mode” for 30 days.

During that time, motorists who speed through school zones will be sent notices via postal mail informing them of the violation, and reminding them that the school zone speed limit is 20 mph. 

After the initial 30-day warning period, motorists caught by a camera speeding in a school zone will be mailed a $50 violation per offense.

City-wide, the speed limit on most streets outside school zones also will drop from 30 mph to 25 mph beginning Jan. 1.

Also participating in Friday's announcement, and the advocacy that led to this important safety improvement, were:

• State Senator Neil Breslin
• Assembly member Pat Fahy
• Assembly member John McDonald
• Albany Common Council member Tom Hoey
• Chief City Auditor Dorcy Applyrs
• City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar
• Albany Deputy Police Chief Anthony Battuello
• City Engineer Howard Goebel