Burns on speed cameras: ‘I still have hope’
Del. Emmett Burns has long been a proponent of speed cameras because of issues of speeding and pedestrian injuries in his district along Liberty Road.
Each year from 2003 to 2006, Burns sponsored legislation to place the cameras in the county on Liberty Road. The legislator, who represents the 10th District including Randallstown, Woodlawn and part of Catonsville, said he’s satisfied with a law that will go into effect Oct. 1 allowing Baltimore County to place the devices in school and work zones only. (You can read more about that here.)
“While I was not able to get what I wanted on Liberty Road, I did get some things,” Burns said, acknowledging that the new law won’t likely allow the devices on Liberty.”That’s the way it works in the General Assembly.”
Over the last three years, the state has added traffic calming measures long the Liberty Road corridor, dropped the speed limit to 35 mph and added better lighting and crosswalks. Those changes seem to have had a positive effect, Burns said.
Yet, “we still have pedestrians being run over, we still have accidents, we still have danger,” Burns said.
Burns said he is hopeful the recently-passed law will one day allow for the cameras on dangerous thoroughfares.
“I hold out hope for that,” Burns said. “I hold out hope for Baltimore County. With enough push, it could happen.”
The County Council will still have to pass a law allowing the cameras in the county. Several councilmen have already said they support the concept on an initial trial basis. A bill could be introduced as early as August.
It is unclear if Councilman Ken Oliver, a Democrat who also represents the Liberty Road corridor, supports the cameras. He has thus far declined to answer questions about speed cameras and Liberty Road.