Carrollton Twp. Protected by Signs, Neighboring Towns Clamor for Same
Township works to protect vulnerable areas with interactive radar signs to slow speeders town; neighboring towns express interest in same.
The Challenge
Carrollton Township is a suburban community in Saginaw County, Michigan, home to around 5,700 residents. Covering an area of around 3 square miles, the township is located around 90 miles north of Detroit. Carrollton includes a mix of quiet neighborhoods, bustling commercial strips, industrial facilities, and green spaces.
The Carrollton Police Department is small, and with close borders to other jurisdictions, is busy with incidents in both Carrollton and its surrounding areas. With a variety of demands on the small police force, it’s not always realistic for them to enforce traffic laws to ensure that speeding is discouraged, and local roads are safe. The Police Department sought to implement technologies to help them calm traffic and keep residents safe without the need for physical police presence.
The Solution
In an effort to curb speeding concerns with limited police presence, the township began by installing six driver feedback signs from Traffic Logix. The signs were strategically placed based on demonstrated risk with first priority given to school locations. The police department had received countless complaints about speeding during and after school as students arrive and depart and school zones were the first location that the interactive radar signs were installed.
Additional signs were placed on a main strip of road going through town where speeding tends to occur as well as on a long thoroughfare in a residential area, where speeding is common and much of the community’s population lives. Shortly after the first six signs were installed, an additional two were added to ensure that all of the township’s highest risk areas were protected.
The installation process was quick and simple, taking only 20 minutes per sign once the team became familiar with the procedure. The signs were mounted on metal posts alongside speed limit signs, integrating seamlessly into the existing traffic infrastructure.
The township initially set the signs to flash when vehicles exceeded the speed limit by 5 mph and to display a strobe light for speeds exceeding 10 mph. However, they optimized the settings by lowering the thresholds to 1 mph over the limit for flashing and 5 mph for strobe lights. This adjustment proved more effective, as it increased driver awareness and compliance.
The Benefits
The implementation of the driver feedback signs has significantly improved traffic behavior in Carrollton. According to Chief of Police Christopher Kellett, “The signs are simple to use, easy to understand, and highly noticeable. We’ve seen a remarkable decrease in general complaints about speeding, and residents appreciate seeing their tax dollars at work.” The reduced number of complaints and increased community satisfaction highlight the success of the signs in protecting Carrollton’s roads.
The signs have led to a notable reduction in speeding incidents and the community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents reporting increased awareness of speed limits and improved safety in high-risk areas. Additionally, Chief Kellett noted that “several neighboring agencies have reached out to us about the signs,” expressing interest in the data collected by the signs and in obtaining them for their communities’ roads as an interactive and effective way to battle speeding issues.
