Speed monitor reminds motorists to slow down
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Photo by Barry Halvorson County Environmental Officer Mark Somer, left, and Precinct 2 Constable J.A. Szymanski set up their speed monitor.

Motorists driving on various roadways in Precinct 2 will get a chance to really see how much lead is in their gas pedal foot in coming weeks.

The Precinct 2 Constable Office is moving its battery powered speed monitoring display sign from various locations on a week by week basis.

The sign has an electronic display showing actual speed along with a sign showing the posted speed limit for the roadway being monitored.

"The battery will usually last four to five days at this location," Precinct 2 Constable J.A. Szymanski said. "Because it's triggered by an approaching vehicle, the traffic volume is the determining factor and there aren't a lot of vehicles on the road, particularly late at night. If you set it up on U.S. Highway 59, it would probably only run for three days before needing to be charged again."

Because the speed limit sign can be changed out, Szymanski said he likes to move it around. The sign was set up on Highway 60 in the East Bernard last week and Szymanski said it will probably be set up in the Hungerford area this week.

"We like to set up on FM 960 during the week of the Wharton County Youth Fair and Expo," Szymanski said. "We get a lot of people from out of town that week not used to driving in rural areas. They tend to go a little faster because of that and we want to reminded them of the speed limit for safety reasons. We don't want any one getting hurt in a collision because they were going too fast."

No tax dollars went into the purchase of the sign, Szymanski said.

"It was paid for by proceeds from drug seizures," he said.