Altoona, Florida Speed Traps
Hwy 19 and SR 42 at the Kangaroo Store
This is where the County Sheriffs sit late at night, usually having a BS session and drinking coffee, etc. It’s a great place because they can see both highways and there is a huge parking lot to hide in. This is the closest 24 hr. store for people who live the forest area, or people camping in the forest. It’s a big mistake to stop by for a last 12 pk. or to use the restroom if you are drunk.
In the church parking lot on State Road 19
This is a MOST NECESSARY place to watch for speeders! Yes, it is across from the fire station, but the sender neglected to also add that the fire station actually sits on the site of an active elementary charter school, Altoona Charter School. A huge number of the students are delivered by car, and to get into, as well as leave, the schoolgrounds safely is very difficult. People have a tendency to travel at highway speeds and more past the school. The traffic is heavy, including lots of large semi-truck trailors, which adds to a dangerous situation. I taught there for 5 years, and spent part of one of those years trying to direct traffic, until I had to stop because of the danger. It is unbelievable that no serious crashes have occurred that I know of, but I am so afraid that, in the future, one of the parents or some of the children will be involved in a very serious, if not fatal, accident! I suggest you pull this off your list as any help from the sheriff or Highway Patrol may help advert such a possibility. It makes me sad that people object to slowing down for a very short distance to save lives!
State Highway 19 North near County Trunk 42
LCSO parks in the Altoona church parking lot(across from the fire station), and about two to four times a year will sit there with multiple officers and do a radar check. This is the most common area in Altoona for the officers to set the trap.