CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral's school zone speed detection cameras have generated more than half a million dollars in revenue during just a three-month period, according to the city's annual report on the camera program.
FOX 4's Bella Line breaks down the numbers:
The cameras, which have been operational for about seven months, issued more than 9,000 paid tickets between April 28 and July 31. With the city receiving $60 from each $100 ticket, Cape Coral collected approximately $540,000 during this period.
The total revenue from the tickets was $896,750 in just three months.
According to the report, $21 from each ticket goes to the camera company, leaving about $350,000 for Cape Coral safety initiatives.
Anthony Lepore, who lives near the Skyline Boulevard school zone, said he was shocked by the ticket volume.
"I was really shocked to learn today how many tickets for speeding that actually, you know, uncovered," Lepore said.
Scott Davis, another nearby homeowner, questioned the cameras' effectiveness at changing driver behavior.
"I mean, if they made half a million dollars, people aren't slowing down so it's not really working," Davis said.
Cape Coral City Council member Joe Kilraine defended the program's purpose.
"It's really a behavior control mechanism and not a money making activity," Kilraine said.
However, several residents I spoke with said they haven't noticed improvements in driver behavior since the cameras were installed.
Lepore expressed concern about the financial impact on drivers.
"You're taking it from people that are, you know, their livelihood. So, yeah, it's quite a bit of money," Lepore said.
Despite concerns about effectiveness, some residents still support the concept if it can be improved.
"I'm all for it. I just, I want it to work. I mean, the people need to slow. The kids are all grown now but, you know, I take that serious," Davis said.
Lepore suggested the city needs to make adjustments to the program.
"They need to address a lot of it and do some tweaking to fix it," Lepore said.
The cameras continue operating as school is back in session, monitoring speeds in 17 school zones throughout Cape Coral.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
