Speeding motorists on U.S. 90 are getting a friendly reminder from the city these days, showing them their speed as a subtle reminder to slow down.
The Biloxi Police Department, at the suggestion of Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich, began attaching small electronic devices to existing speed limit signs to display excessive speeds in flashing numbers.
“It’s become obvious to us that people may not be paying attention to their speed, so rather than trying to write tickets to everyone, we wanted to call it to their attention,” said Biloxi Police Chief John Miller. “We think they’re just not conscious of their speed, and they can immediately see it and maybe say to themselves, ‘I’m exceeding the speed limit. I need to slow down.'”
Gilich had seen the signs used in another city and asked the police department to look into the idea.
Said the mayor: “What do you do when you see something flashing? You slow down. That’s the goal, to make people drive safer and to obey the speed limits.”
The police department began installing the portable signs to speed limit signs on some neighborhood streets several weeks ago and added two on U.S. 90 this week. The signs can also count the numbers of vehicles on streets where they are positioned to help the city with traffic planning.
Eight of the battery-operated signs, at $2,200 each, are on hand now, and the city plans to order about 10 more.
See video of one of the U.S. 90 signs
News and notes
Council action, photos: The Biloxi City Council this afternoon denied a request for a zoning change that would have allowed a real estate office to set up in a residential neighborhood on Popp’s Ferry Road, south of the Popp’s Ferry bridge. The council also approved the spending of nearly $450,000 on new police cars, and OK’d Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich to send a letter to the Department of the Air Force offering to-be-acquired property for the new main entrance to Keesler Air Force Base. The mayor also recognized operators of two new downtown business incubators that cater to internet customers. To see photos from the meeting and the business honorees, click here.
Traffic update: To see the status of road work throughout the city, click here.
