BATON ROUGE - Dozens of radar signs installed across Baton Rouge are targeting speeders who cut through neighborhoods to get a jump on traffic.

In addition to alerting drivers to their speed, the signs also collect data including traffic volume and the number of violators driving during a specific period.

Fred Raiford, director of transportation & drainage for the city-parish, says he hopes the new radar speed signs will encourage drivers to slow down.

"It's been very beneficial. People have called and said, 'I didn't realize how fast I was driving,'" said Raiford.

So far, 32 new radar signs have been placed in locations where residents have complained about speeding. The locations were selected by Metro Council members and neighborhood HOAs.

Eight of them can be found on Kenilworth Parkway, a busy thoroughfare between Highland Road and Perkins Road.

Raiford says at one time, officials were debating whether to add a roundabout to Kenilworth Parkway to deter speeding. The idea wasn't popular among residents. Speed humps in the area would create noise and can cause vehicle damage.

"In today's society, everyone's in a hurry," he said.

Something needed to be done, which is why Kenilworth has been given so much attention.

The Bluetooth-enabled radar signs collect data, including vehicle counts, average speed, average number of speeding vehicles, speeding violations, and minimum and maximum speeds.

"Some of this data is to look at future development plans. Maybe we look at roundabouts or other mechanisms to try to find ways for people to slow down on the streets," Raiford said.

The radar signs don't take photos or read license plates. Raiford says that's not the purpose of the project.

"We're trying to make people a little more attentive about what you're supposed to be doing when driving through subdivision areas," he said.

Other radar signs can be found on Riverbend Boulevard, Hickory Ridge Boulevard, Woodland Ridge Boulevard, Lobdell Avenue, Cedarcrest Avenue, Fairway Drive, Brentwood Drive, and at the intersection of Sherwood Forest Boulevard and Mollylea Drive.

The signs cost about $7,900 each. Most are solar powered, but some require electric power. The funding came from the city-parish MoveBR investment under the enhancement program.

Raiford says most, if not all, of the signs will be operational by the end of the week.