On Monday the South Portland City Council gave the go-ahead to the police department to seek a speed enforcement grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

The $25,000 grant would cover the cost of about 588 hours of special speed enforcement details that would focus on rush-hour traffic, including the use of shortcuts by commuters, areas near major intersections and areas with high speed limits where severe accidents are more likely to occur.

According to a memo sent to the City Council by Police Chief Ed Googins, South Portland has received the grant in prior years, but this year the Bureau of Highway Safety is putting a higher emphasis on speed enforcement and so has increased the funding for such programs “considerably.”

Googins said the $25,000 grant would cover the cost of salaries and benefits for the special speed enforcement details. He said the grants are available from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, although the start date for the local program would depend on whether South Portland receives the funding and whether the council accepts the grant.