Red-light and speed enforcement cameras are coming soon to three Bend intersections; here’s where and when
Barney Lerten
(Updated: Quotes from Bend City Councilor Ariel Méndez)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend city councilors on Wednesday evening unanimously approved a $2.34 million contract to begin installing an automated traffic enforcement system, better known as “red-light cameras,” at several intersections around the city early next year.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz asked councilors to approve the three-year contract with American Traffic Solutions Inc., doing business as Verra Mobility, with the ability to extend it for up to two more years at up to $780,000 a year.
City Councilor Ariel Méndez told KTVZ News, “This program is designed to scale up. So if it looks like people aren’t speeding that much, then it’s going to be a really small program, and if it looks like there’s a bigger need for it, it will scale up. The kind of things that they’re looking for are a history of speeding, a history of citations, or a history of crashes.”
City councilors gave preliminary approval to the proposed Automated Traffic Enforcement Program in January of last year. Krantz explained that as directed by council, the program is expected to generate enough revenue from citations to cover the costs. (You can read more details in the issue summary and the council presentation at the bottom in this article.)
City Councilor Ariel Méndez told KTVZ News, “So the program is designed to be self funded (…) The citations themselves pay for the cost of the program. The way photo enforcement works in Oregon is it does take a picture of the driver. It a citation is issued for anyone traveling beginning at 11mph or over the speed limit and a citation is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle.”
“The intent is to change (driver) behavior” and to boost safety, the police chief explained – to stop drivers running red lights and speeding through intersections. Krantz said experience with the system elsewhere show it “does increase compliance with the rules designed to make roads safer for everyone.
The first three intersections chosen: westbound SE Reed Market Road at Third Street, NE 27th Street and Neff Road south and westbound, and northbound SE Powers Road and South Highway 97.
A half-dozen other intersections are under consideration, pending speed and red-light surveys, because they are at ODOT-controlled intersections and need their approval, which Krantz said is “not a quick process.”
If all goes well, the first camera systems could be installed and citations begin by January, after a 30-day “warnings-only” period for drivers.
Krantz told councilors they also want a mobile system that could be used under state law in construction, school and residential speed zones. A recent law change could drop a requirement to have a person on scene in a van when deployed; instead, the footage could be reviewed afterward, to prove and verify a violation occurred.
After the 7-0 approval vote, Mayor Melanie Kebler told Krantz shes “really excited to get this tool on the streets.”
Automated Traffic Safety PresentationDownload