Police expand photo radar zones
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on January 14, 2025.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
A photo radar vehicle can be seen along Henderson Lake Blvd. close to Lakeview Elementary School.LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com
Monday marked the beginning of Lethbridge Police Service monitoring an additional 42 Lethbridge playground zones with photo radar to help reduce speeding and prevent collisions.
In December 2019, the Alberta Government prohibited municipalities from adding any new photo radar locations, but that ban was lifted last month when the province announced changes to the current automated traffic enforcement program. Under the recently announced guidelines, automated traffic enforcement is restricted to school zones, playground zones and constructions zones only and in Lethbridge, all harmonized playground zones throughout the city are in effect daily from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Sgt. Danny Lomness, in charge of the LPS Traffic Response Unit, told reporters Monday that LPS wants to make sure everybody knows that there are several new photo radar sites now in effect.
“There are 42 new sites, but that doesn’t mean there’s 42 new school or playground zones,” said Lomness. “What that means is there could be one school, but within that one school or playground area, there could multiple roads surrounding that immediate area and each one of those roads has to be designated as a site.”
He added that once construction season begins, police will be using photo radar on those sites as well.
“With the restrictions of locations, we had to adjust some of our times, but not adding any other resources at this time,” said Lomness.
He also said it is important for LPS to continue monitoring harmonized playground zones, because this will help them to protect school-age children.
Lomness explained that in some areas, one road can have multiple designated photo radar zones, as they have various schools or playgrounds adjacent to them, which are determined by the City.
“For example, one zone could be from the 100 block to the 200 block and the next one could be from the 400 block to the 500 block. So, you might have a little bit of a block where there isn’t, but ultimately like he said, they’re not going to be changing speed much in between there.”
He added that photo radar will be rotating among sites, but drivers might see an increase in areas where there is increased traffic to reduce the risk of collisions.
“You might see more in those areas, but that will be determined by traffic flow and instance,” said Lomness.
 LPS will continue to share photo radar locations and schedules with the public as it has done in the past.
14-13
A cash grab is a cash grab, regardless where you set it up. A digital speed sign is much more effective controlling speed and raising awareness. Just a cash grab……
Perhaps the Province can convince the City to change back to separate school and playground zones and hours of operation as laid out in the Traffic Safety Act.
I support photo radar and wish we could have several stationary devices on Whoop-up drive after being stuck in ‘parking lot’ traffic because of accidents on that drive by people who do not obey laws.
Don’t want a ticket, then don’t speed! I am fed up of doing the speed limit and having someone tailgating me, not just on Whoop-up, but on Scenic Drive between downtown and Enmax. The last was yesterday by some speeder who rode my tailgate for over a block, then veered to the right lane, then veered back to the left lane, waving his arm for me to get in the right lane, thinking the left lane is a fast lane for speeders. News flash – – – we are in the city and there are no ‘slow lanes’ and I was going the speed limit, not slower.
You do not get points with photo radar! I sat in a photo radar vehicle a few years ago in a school zone and within an hour, multiple vehicles were caught doing 60 kph in the school zone! I have zero sympathy for speeders who are in the city putting other lives in danger because they think they are more important and their tasks for the day are unique to them and gives them a reason to speed!
Go get them!!! Put more speed traps on Whoop-up and Scenic as well! It is not a cash cow or a cash grab, when you catch people breaking the law!
Never had them before? Did Children suddenly become more important now that the other source of cash grab was done away with? This reeks!
We’ve got 2 towns close to us with totally different perspectives on photo radar. Taber is ending photo radar because they say they make no money on it while Coaldale says they can’t balance their budget without it on the highway. I wonder what Lethbridges reasoning is? Just kidding, it’s obvious they want to milk it for every cent they can. As Dennis said kids are not new nor was the speeding issue around schools.