Drivers who speed through school zones near Turner-Bartels K-8, Benito Middle, Lawton Chiles Elementary, Liberty Middle and Freedom High will soon face $100 fines from automated cameras after the Tampa City Council gave final approval to the program Thursday.
The unanimous vote added four zones in New Tampa, serving five schools along corridors familiar to Wesley Chapel families, to the city's existing 12-zone speed camera program. The cameras have not yet been installed. Tampa Police Deputy Chief Patrick Messmer told the council the city is working to obtain permits.
Speed Study Found Sharp Violation Rates
A two-day speed study conducted by vendor RedSpeed Florida in April found high violation rates at the New Tampa sites. Turner-Bartels K-8, on Imperial Oaks Boulevard just off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, recorded 2,119 speeding violations over two days — about 1,060 per day, or 41.4% of all traffic passing the school. Benito Middle School, on Cross Creek Boulevard, logged 1,547 violations in the same window, or about 774 per day.
District 7 Councilman Luis Viera, who championed the expansion, said at the meeting: "If you're going to a school zone during pickup and drop-off, and you're going in excess of 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, you've got it coming."
Viera told the council at the June 4 first reading that he pushed to include New Tampa schools after hearing repeated complaints from constituents about speeding on Cross Creek Boulevard and near Liberty Middle and Freedom High.
How the Fines and Enforcement Will Work
The cameras will operate only during school hours. Before fines begin, the city will hold a 30-day education period in which violators receive a mailed warning instead of a penalty. Signage will be posted in affected zones.
Once enforcement starts, the civil penalty will be $100 for drivers caught exceeding the school zone speed limit by more than 10 mph. Camera violations will not add points to a driver's license. If a police officer is monitoring a zone with radar, that officer can ticket drivers at any speed over the posted limit.
The program will cost Tampa nothing upfront. RedSpeed Florida operates the cameras by joining an existing Hillsborough County contract, and Tampa will receive $39 of every $100 fine collected.
Council Addresses Data Privacy Concerns
Messmer addressed council concerns about data retention, saying camera footage will be deleted after 30 days unless a violation occurred. He said the system will not share data with outside agencies, citing a signed affidavit from RedSpeed CEO Robert Liberman stating the cameras "have no hardware or software associated in any way with Flock."
Council member Bill Carlson, who voted yes, acknowledged residents' unease. "People just in general don't like having government surveil them," Carlson said.
What Comes Next
The city's contract with RedSpeed expires in March 2027, at which point the council agreed the ordinance will need to be reevaluated. No installation date has been set, and a 30-day warning period will precede any fines.
