The camera is a much needed safety device in that general area...hope it works.

Good idea may slow driver's down a bit.

I give this camera 2 weeks before someone rips it out! If you want safety nothing beats a real person giving tickets! The answer is not an automated ticket producing machine! How lazy can we get!

Hi John, thanks for commenting. I had the same thought when I visited the site yesterday, but it the camera is anchored to the ground on a giant block of cement. Doesn't mean it can't be torn out, but it'll be hard to do...

Who's kidding who?? The state/county needs revenue. This is one way to get it.

I would rather have the automated ticket producing machine handing out the violations instead of using our police resources shooting radar as they do so often near the YMCA. I would much rather see the police patrolling our neighborhoods to catch whoever is responsible for the lastest rash of daytime home burglaries! It is a dangerous area and has had many accidents in the past year. It would be horrible for a student (or anyone) to be killed there.

I think the speed cameras are a great idea. Like Deb I would rather see officers patroling the neighborhoods and checking on citizens. There are too many speeders on Edmonson ave, Frederick RD, Rolling RD, and other streets in Catonsville. I wish there was a camera in front of my house.

It will be interesting to see if the camera(s) have an adverse impact on tighter, narrower, more densely populated side streets throughout Catonsville, ie: even more cut-through traffic at high speeds.

Hi Kate, that's an interesting point, so you're talking about people avoiding South Rolling Road and using other roads? That could be more of an issue regardless with Bloomsbury Avenue about to be finished, but I'll keep an eye on that. The good thing about that location is there aren't too many cut-through streets around there...unless you're thinking of another area I'm not thinking of.

The unintended consequence - that's my suspicion, especially as more cameras are installed on Rolling. Even with all of the recent traffic calming enhancements on side streets (the ones on my street are fairly ineffective) , there are still plenty of passageways between the golf course and Frederick by which to dodge the cameras - Hilltop Rd also feeds that entire community on the East side of Rolling Rd. Cut through those tiny neighborhoods loaded with houses (many on smaller lots, with on-street parking, and narrower fields of view).Then you could even cut over Rollling by way of Newburg (or other streets) into the West side neighborhoods and make it to Ellicott City without ever being on Rolling Rd. I picture this being the preferred option of many a lead-foot remotely familiar with the area. I wonder how some of these neighbors feel about the whole thing. I hope it's crystal clear that I'm not suggesting or promoting this idea. I'm just sayin'.........

So it's ok to speed on Rolling but not the side streets? Rolling is just as residential as the side streets are. It would be preferable if people would take personal responsibility for their actions and drive safely no matter what the circumstance (i.e., cameras being present or not), don't you think? Maybe we can all talk to our friends and neighbors about having some civic pride and taking care of our community. If you are a local and drive on Rolling, you should drive the speed limit. Don't think for a minute that all the "bad" commuters are from Ellicott City - locals are just as much to blame. If you don't believe me, ask the officers that do the speed traps at the Y about who they catch.

While we're on the topic of traffic and "locals" - we need a light at the Bloomsbury entrance of the High School. It is hard to make a left from Bloomsbury into the school, and impossible to make a left after dropping off to get back onto Rolling, necessitating a right and proceeding down Hilltop to Valley. I'm assuming we're mostly "locals" - who don't have the courtesy to let our fellow "locals" into and out of the school. In the 5 weeks of school, I've seen a near-accident every week, due to an impatient commuter or an inexperienced new driver.

How many speed related accidents at that location? Uhhh, do I have enough fingers?
Face it, it's all about revenue for the county. Why else did they move the cameras from a non performing location.

Kate – I tried to post this under your response above, but was not able to. The concerns you raised in your posts relate to cut through traffic of commuters (you mentioned Ellicott City) and people using side streets at higher rates of speed. I certainly do agree that implementing a solution to one problem can create another and feel that your concerns are valid ones. That being said, however, nowhere did I see anyone referring to Rolling as “their” road – in fact, my proposal contemplates the exact opposite scenario – taking personal responsibility and having civic pride – and that includes actions in our own neighborhoods or someone else’s. The more that people take responsibility for their actions, the better our community will be.

Thanks for that comment Jean...and Kate. At Patch, we try to keep the comments section from being as bad as other 'internet forums,' as we know most people here are talking to fellow residents in Catonsville. But it also takes people stepping up and staying above the negativity. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

Yes - we do agree, Jean - that's the irony here. The residents of Rolling Rd have dealt with the problem of speed for a long time, no doubt about it. I'm just nervous about the latest solution. And Penny, I'm not sure exactly what was offensive about my comments to Jean. I guess it is easy to misconstrue intent in the written word. Perhaps this forum isn't isn't for me. I'll stick to reading the Patch.

Kate, sorry, I wasn't implying that you said your comments were offensive, I was just saying that I'm glad you both were able to dialogue about this on the site. If there are ever questions about our policies for commenting, they are here: http://catonsville.patch.com/terms Thanks for reading!

my main concern about a speed camera on S. Rolling is that some will see it as permission to do 41 mph -- 11 mph over the speed limit, and 1 mph below what will trigger the camera. At least they put it on the double-lane section and not further north where the lanes are narrower. Since many drivers tend to speed up when they get thru the light at Bloomsbury, I suspect there will be numerous tickets.

Was the speed camera vandalized/taken down over the weekend? All I see is an empty concrete pad and yellow caution tape...

Sorry for the delay in answering your questions, but we found the answer today about the speed camera: http://patch.com/A-mQw8