Concerned about speeding on Roland Avenue and Cold Spring Lane, the Roland Park Civic League has asked Baltimore City to place speed cameras in the neighborhood.

The league has spoken with City Councilwomen Mary Pat Clarke and Sharon Greene Middleton, who said they would take action to get the cameras for the neighborhood, according to league president Phil Spevak

The league has also spoken with Mayor Sheila Dixon, who is supportive of the idea, Spevak said.

Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a bill into law this spring allowing counties statewide and Baltimore to install speed cameras.

Previously, speed cameras were allowed only in Montgomery County. The bill allows the cameras to be used in work zones and within a half mile of schools.

The neighborhood has long sought ways to curb speeding, especially on Roland and Cold Spring, according to Chris McSherry, who heads the civic league's traffic control committee.

"It's a constant concern of mine," McSherry said. "It's getting worse by the year."

The league wants to place cameras in four places heading north and south on Roland Avenue near Roland Park Middle School, Roland Park Country School and Gilman School.

"They (motorists) always go through there way too fast," McSherry said.

League officials have also asked that cameras be placed east and west on Cold Spring near the business district between Charles Street and Roland Avenue.

Spevak said that merchants along both stretches of road support the cameras being posted near their businesses.

"From my understanding the community and the merchants have the same concerns," he said.

McSherry said the neighborhood's efforts go beyond safety.

"We're trying to make the neighborhood as pedestrian-friendly as possible," she said.

Both McSherry and Spevak said that although some neighbors have an initial negative reaction to the cameras, most support them.

"A few people have had concerns, but they don't want people speeding," McSherry said.

McSherry said that people are more supportive when they find out that they would have to be going more than 12 miles per hour above the speed limit to get a ticket if caught on camera.

The cameras aren't the only traffic calming measures being considered by the league.

Spevak said the league is considering pushing for an MTA shuttle bus for Roland Park, similar to one in Hampden.

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