City of Lincoln
Mayor's Department
Citizen Information Center Division
2000 Media Release
CITY OF LINCOLN • NEWS RELEASE • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- Date:
- August 14, 2000
- For More Information Contact:
- Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831
Shane Dostal or Scott Opfer, Public Works, 441-7711
Brian Jackson, Lincoln Police Department, 441-9181
Mayor Reminds Residents of Two School Safety Projects
As the end of summer vacation approaches, Mayor Don Wesely today
reminded Lincoln residents that everyone in the community has a role to
play in keeping our children's trips to and from school safe. Two
annual events are coming up in the next week to prepare the community
for back-to-school changes:
- The "Safe Walk and Safe Ride" to school night is set from 6 to 7:30
p.m. Thursday, August 17. The Public Works and Utilities Department,
the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln Public Schools will again
jointly sponsor this event. All 25 m.p.h. school speed zones will be
operational during the event to emphasize their purpose and also to
remind everyone that schools are about to open.
The Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Unit will again conduct
its Fall School Enforcement Project, primarily targeting the more than
50 school speed zones in our community. This two-week project is
scheduled to begin Monday, August 21.
"Getting children to and from school safely is primarily a parental
responsibility, but they need the support and cooperation of drivers,
schools, city officials and our community," said Mayor Wesely. "We
encourage all parents to participate in the Safe Walk and Safe Ride
event by walking with their children to their respective schools. In
addition, we implore all drivers to pay extra attention to added
pedestrian traffic, especially children, around school areas."
Several years ago, the City Council passed an ordinance doubling the
fines for speeding in school speed zones. The Police Department has a
"no tolerance" policy for enforcing the 25 m.p.h. limit in school
zones. The fines (not including court costs) for speeding in these
zones are:
- $20 for traveling 1 to 5 m.p.h. over the limit
- $50 for traveling 6 to 10 m.p.h. over the limit
- $150 for traveling 11 to 15 m.p.h. over the limit
- $250 for traveling 16 to 20 m.p.h. over the limit
- $400 for traveling 21 m.p.h. or more over the limit
2000 Media Release">Current Media Release