To get a handle on drivers whizzing through its main road, the small town of Betterton, Maryland installed a "smart" radar speed sign. The data it collected helped the local sheriff's department improve traffic enforcement.
For Governing, Mayor Don Sutton of Betterton, Maryland writes, "In 2016, the challenge facing Betterton was a familiar one: drivers speeding through town. We found a surprising and cost-effective solution -- and one that illustrates how the use of data and analytics is not the province only of bigger, resource-rich cities."
The tiny town, with a population of only 400 year-round residents, contracts with the local sheriff's department for traffic enforcement services. A "smart" radar speed sign was deployed to help make that enforcement more effective. "The one we installed in November 2016, which cost about $3,500, came with software that captures data on driver speeds and documents the time of day that speeding occurs."
Sutton says that "For the first time we could use analytics to see when drivers were actually speeding." He goes on, "Of course, radar speed signs cannot replace law-enforcement officers, but they can certainly do a fine job of augmenting their work. That's because the signs operate 24/7 with or without an officer present, which maximizes our investment."
FULL STORY: How One Small Town Slowed the Leadfoots Down
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.