DOT agrees to move ‘cash cow’ speed camera
A speed camera sitting at the end of a Belt Parkway exit ramp that has been the target of numerous complaints from drivers charging that it’s nothing but a cash cow for the city is going to be moved to a different location.
Councilmember Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island-Gravesend-Bensonhurst) said the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) has agreed to his request to move the speed camera from its perch on Shore Parkway between Ocean Parkway and West Avenue to an alternative location closer to Ocean Parkway.
The speed camera was perched at the end of a Belt Parkway exit ramp last summer, according to Treyger, who said the location called into question whether the device was there to increase safety or generate revenue for the city through speeding tickets.
“The speed camera program is a key part of Vision Zero and plays a vital role in slowing down drivers and keeping pedestrians safe, especially in high-traffic areas near schools. However, the city must choose locations that actually help protect the public and do not simply generate millions of dollars in revenue. Placing this camera adjacent to the Belt Parkway and not in an area with pedestrians called into question the credibility of the entire program,” Treyger said in a statement.