NEW ORLEANS — Lakeview resident Karen Burlet was shocked when she received a $160 ticket. The ticket shows that on Sept. 6 at 1:38 p.m., Burlet was caught on camera speeding in a school zone.
“This is a money grab by the City," Burlet said, “We know that the speed limit at school zones is 2:45 to 4:45 historically. So, I was immediately, I wasn’t concerned, I was irritated. So, I knew I had to now contact the company, plead not guilty, and do whatever I had to do.”
Burlet called the City of New Orleans, and she was told the enforcement times had changed.
“I said, wouldn’t it have been nice to tell somebody?” Burlet said.
Then, Burlet called WWL Louisiana.
Under a new state law, enforcement times are now based on the nearby school's drop off and pickup time.
We went to St. Patrick and Canal where Burlet got her ticket, and the sign states the enforcement time is now 1-3 p.m.
“Well, first of all, those signs are real small. You can’t see them, even when you’re close, and it’s not safe anyway to be focusing on the sign," Burlet said.
The sign was flashing at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, a half hour after the enforcement time ended. So, it appears that the lights are not synched to the new enforcement times.
Burlet said the video shows they were not flashing at 1:38 p.m. when she was ticketed.
With more than 40 school zone areas across Orleans Parish, you will now want to pay attention to the individual signs. For example, along Canal Street alone there are three different enforcement timeframes within blocks of each other.
The good news for Burlet is that under city ordinance, if the lights are not functioning properly, you don't have to pay the ticket. However, Burlet will still have to go through the process of appealing the ticket.
“It’s just time out of my life for an aggravation," Burlet said.
In late August, the City of New Orleans sent a notification to media outlets that said the cameras would be activated on August 23rd, and that until all cooperative endeavor agreements between the City and schools were finalized, "Any fines generated in these areas will be held in escrow."
WWL Louisiana asked the City for a list of the updated times and locations on Tuesday, but we did not hear back.
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