Radar Speed Signs
Radar speed signs are a tool that the City of Big Rapids is using to deter speeding. In March 2021, the police department installed two permanent speed signs on Woodward Ave. In 2022, four additional signs were installed along Fuller Ave., Bjornson St., and N. 4th Ave. The signs are battery-powered with solar rechargers. The signs announce on a digital screen the speed of an approaching vehicle. If a driver is traveling at an appropriate speed, the sign will indicate this by displaying their speed in green with a message thanking them for obeying the law; an excessive speed is displayed in red with a warning to slow down. These signs are also designed to collect data about traffic, average speeds, and the number of speeding cars. This will, in turn, give the police department information on where patrols are needed.