COCONUT CREEK, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — After more than a year of public discussion, Coconut Creek’s school zone speed camera program is now live at three school sites, with warning notices already set to go out to drivers caught speeding during the enforcement window.
The School Zone Safety Enforcement Program is operating at Cougar Trail near Coconut Creek High School, NW 39th Avenue near Winston Park Elementary School, and Johnson Road near Tradewinds Elementary School. The city says the cameras turn on when breakfast starts at each school and continue operating until 30 minutes after dismissal.
That means enforcement is not limited to the short periods many drivers associate with drop-off and pickup traffic. A driver going 36 mph on Cougar Trail at 11 a.m. on a school day, for example, would still be subject to enforcement because the posted speed limit at that time is 25 mph.
For now, the program is in a warning phase. Coconut Creek says there will be a 60-day warning period at each site, during which drivers caught by camera going over the threshold will receive a warning notice in the mail instead of a citation. Beginning May 22, drivers recorded going 11 mph over the speed limit in those school zones will begin receiving $100 citations.
The city says the cameras are programmed around each school’s hours and calendar. They are not active at night, on weekends, or on days when school is not in session. Coconut Creek Police also said the cameras would be active during summer only if a school is in session. If not, they will remain off until the first day of school in August.
The launch has drawn criticism online, much of it centered on whether the program is really about safety or revenue.
Some commenters called the cameras a “money grab” and argued that school zone enforcement should only be active during the traditional periods when school zone flashers are active or when students are outside arriving and leaving campus. Others argued that mailing citations after the fact does less to change immediate driver behavior than having officers conduct live traffic enforcement.
Coconut Creek Police pushed back on those claims in public responses. When one commenter alleged the city and politicians were getting kickbacks from for-profit operators, the department replied that the money goes toward helping pay for crossing guards. When another commenter argued the program should only run when school zones are active, police responded that the speed limit reverts to the regular posted speed limit after morning drop-off and dismissal, but the cameras continue operating while students are in class on school days, except for aftercare.
That distinction matters. The city’s position is that the enforcement period follows the school day itself, not just the narrow windows when students are being dropped off or picked up. For drivers, that means the safe assumption is simple: on a school day, slow down at these locations and pay attention to the posted limit throughout the day.
Responsibility for the program sits with the city and Coconut Creek Police, which have been publicly answering questions as the rollout begins. The enforcement mechanism itself is automated, but the city is framing it as part of a school safety program rather than a short-term traffic operation.
What happens next is already set. The warning period will continue until May 22, after which qualifying violations at the three active sites will carry a $100 citation. Residents and commuters who regularly travel Cougar Trail, NW 39th Avenue, or Johnson Road near those campuses should expect the program to remain in place during school days and should watch school calendars, posted limits, and signage carefully.
For drivers in Coconut Creek, the practical takeaway is not complicated. These cameras are now running. They are tied to school-day operations, not just the opening and closing bell rush, and the city has already made clear that enforcement will continue through the school day when classes are in session.
For more information about the cameras from the Coconut Creek: www.coconutcreek.gov/schoolzone
For more updates across the area, see our Coconut Creek News coverage.
