Speeding tickets in Arlington County, Virginia, will carry much heftier fines for those who speed through neighborhood streets.
On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board established an additional $200 fine for speeding in residential areas that meet certain criteria. The decision came after numerous complaints about speeders, specifically in regards to pedestrian safety.
“The Board is taking this action to help deter drivers from speeding down residential streets, endangering people who are walking, cycling and using scooters to get around,” said county board chair Libby Garvey in a news release.
The transportation division of the county’s Department of Environmental Services will decide which residential streets will carry the additional fine by examining speeding complaints and existing traffic data.
In order for a street to add the fine, it must be in a residential zone and classified as a neighborhood principal, minor arterial or major arterial street on the county’s road classification map. They must also have a documented speeding issue that has been confirmed by the county’s police department.
Once a road is designated, a sign reading “$200 Additional Speeding Fine” will be attached to speed limit signs.
The measure is an add-on to speeding tickets, which costs $6 for every mile above the 25 mph speed limit, plus $66 for state-mandated court fees.
The additional revenue raised through the new fine will contribute to the county’s operating budget.
Virginia lawmakers also took steps this week to change the automatic reckless driving standard from over 80 mph to over 85 mph in a 70 mph zone.
