Not a speed camera, but a good reminder...

Two new speed feedback signs have now been installed at State Highway entrance routes into the town of Waukon. City of Waukon officials want to assure motorists that these are not speed cameras that result in mailed citations nor are they data collection units, but instead are reminders to slow down and obey speed limits posted above each sign. The signs will display the speed a vehicle is traveling (such as the “40” pictured in the left photo), and will also display a “SLOW DOWN” reminder message if that vehicle speed exceeds the posted speed limit (as in the right photo). Standard photos by Joe Moses.

Having recently been installed as of Thursday of this past week, the signs were then programmed by the installation contractor the following day. Some motorists initially noticed they were being “reminded” by the display sign to slow down even though they were still traveling below the posted speed limit, with Friday’s programming since remedying that situation. In addition to the sign pictured above along the combined State Highways 9 and 76 northbound entrance into Waukon near the Waukon City Park, another sign has also been installed along the State Hwy. 76 southbound entrance into town near Waukon Tire Center. A third sign has also been approved for installation along the State Hwy. 9 southbound entrance into Waukon near the airport.

With approval from the City of Waukon, the Waukon Police Department applied for the first-year Speed Feedback Sign Program through the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) earlier this year and was granted approval for the signs at no cost for the signs or their installation. Waukon Police Chief Paul Wagner shared, “City officials have made mention of speed cameras in brief discussion at council meetings and they are adamant that speed cameras have no place in Waukon. I am happy that the City does not wish to pursue speed cameras as I find it hard to make a public safety pitch when citations are received by the vehicle owner long after the offense occurs. Driving behaviors aren’t fixed by delayed notification to the vehicle owner.”