Chesterfield's first school zone speeding camera is now live

The big picture: Chesterfield announced the speed enforcement cameras late last year, noting that drivers going 10 miles per hour or more over the speed limit in active school zones had become a "significant issue" in the county.

• The county's speed enforcement cameras are similar to the ones Richmond launched last year: Violations are electronically recorded and citations are mailed to the offender.
• Offenders in Chesterfield will be fined $100 per offense (Richmond's fine is $50 for the first violation, $100 thereafter) for anyone going 10 miles per hour or more over the posted limit (the city allows 11mph).
• Like Richmond's, Chesterfield's cameras are only active before and after school and when school is in session — but Chesterfield's are only live for an hour before and an hour after school (Richmond's are live for two hours before school and another two after).

What's next: While the Moseley Elementary camera went live in early January, cameras around 12 other Chesterfield schools should be installed "within the next 6 months," Chesterfield police spokesperson Liz Caroon tells Axios.

Flashback: State lawmakers approved using speed cameras in Virginia in 2020, but limited their use to highway work zones and school crossing zones.

• Richmond was the first locality in the region to add the cameras, starting with two schools last spring and adding nine more by the end of summer.

Here's the full list of Chesterfield schools getting the speed enforcement cameras:

• Beulah Elementary
• Marguerite Christian Elementary
• Cosby High
• Ecoff Elementary
• Grange Hall Elementary
• Manchester Middle
• Midlothian High
• Moseley Elementary — went live on Jan. 13
• Old Hundred Elementary
• Reams Road Elementary
• Swift Creek Elementary
• Bettie Weaver Elementary
• Woolridge Elementary