The Byrnes Mill Police Department soon will have a new piece of equipment to help prevent speeding in the city.
The city’s Board of Alderpersons voted 5-0 on May 4 to buy a new speed trailer, a machine typically placed on the side of a road to detect vehicles as they pass and display their speeds, along with the speed limit for the area.
Alderperson Glenn LaVenture did not attend the meeting.
The new speed trailer is expected to be up and running in approximately one month, Byrnes Mill Police Chief Frank T. Selvaggio said.
The new Monitor Systems speed trailer, which has a solar panel and a battery, was purchased from McClain Radar Services for $10,200. The city used funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover the cost, he said.
McClain Radar Services submitted the lowest of two bids for the trailer, Selvaggio added.
Due to water damage and electrical issues, the old speed trailer became unusable. A panel and batteries were replaced, but the trailer still didn’t work, so city officials decided it would cost more money to continue trying to fix it than the machine was worth and bought the new one, Selvaggio said.
“(This trailer will be) placed where we believe there may be traffic safety hazards and traffic concerns,” he said.
Since the trailer is mobile, it can be moved to different locations whenever necessary, Selvaggio said.
Along with the speed radar, the new trailer has a digital sign that may be updated with important messages, like road closures, potential dangers, tornado warnings and more.
“Messages can be programmed from inside the police car,” Selvaggio said.
He said the digital sign will save police officers time and give them an efficient way to alert residents of important information.