Drivers who like to punch the gas near Alcoa schools are about to get some high-tech company. City officials and the Alcoa City School District are moving ahead with a Blue Line Solutions “three-warnings” enforcement program aimed at slowing traffic around local campuses. The plan relies on LIDAR-equipped devices, clearly posted warning signs, and flashing beacons that operate during arrival and dismissal times, while city and school leaders hammer out how to split costs and any future revenue. Officials are framing the move as a safety push as new development adds traffic near the district’s downtown edge.
City commissioners and the Alcoa City School Board agreed to keep the partnership in place and start work ahead of, and into, fiscal year 2027, according to The Daily Times. The paper reports that the cameras would only run on school days, roughly one hour before classes begin and one hour after students are dismissed. Blue Line would install, monitor, and operate the equipment at its own cost for at least two years, and any remaining revenue would be directed to school-zone roadway improvements. The proposed cost and profit-sharing plan still needs sign-off from the commission.
How the three-warnings system works
The setup is designed to tap the brakes on drivers long before a ticket enters the picture. First, motorists see digital speed displays and flashing beacons that highlight the school zone and the limit. If a driver keeps speeding, a LIDAR unit records the license plate for later review. Blue Line and other vendors have used a 30-day warning phase, along with low or no upfront installation costs, in other communities, according to WDEF. Supporters argue that layering warnings with automated detection cuts down on dangerous speeding without tying up officers on school-zone duty, while critics counter that cities need tight oversight on contracts and revenue sharing.
Where cameras could be placed and timeline…