In a collaborative effort between the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and the Portland Police Bureau, the city of Portland is expanding the use of traffic cameras to bolster its Vision Zero program aimed at eliminating traffic-related fatalities. Presently, 20 cameras are actively issuing citations or warnings in Portland, with plans to add at least eight more cameras by the end of 2023. Furthermore, up to 12 additional cameras are currently in the design phase and are expected to be operational next year.
These cameras, strategically placed along high-crash corridors and some of the city’s most perilous intersections, serve as a critical tool to curb dangerous driving behaviors and prevent traffic fatalities and severe injuries. In total, the city aims to have 40 safety cameras in operation across Portland.
City Commissioner Mingus Mapps, who oversees PBOT, emphasized the importance of enhanced traffic enforcement, and how the cameras complement the essential work of Portland police officers, contributing to a safer environment for all road users.
“With more traffic enforcement, we can send a strong signal that the reckless driving we’ve all seen in recent years is unacceptable in Portland,” said Mapps.
PBOT Director Millicent Williams echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the impact of camera enforcement on reducing dangerous driving behaviors. She noted a significant decrease in dangerous driving shortly after the introduction of camera enforcement in high-crash corridors.
While these cameras play a crucial role in traffic safety, it’s important to note that camera enforcement does not address PBOT’s ongoing financial challenges, including a substantial budget shortfall and potential layoffs. Under state law, approximately 70% of the net revenue from citations goes to the state, with the majority allocated to the Criminal Fine Account, which supports public safety and victim compensation.
Since the inception of the speed camera enforcement program in 2015, it has not generated revenue beyond covering the costs of installation and operation. Any funds received by the city are mandated for use in traffic safety programs or improvements.
The traffic safety cameras are strategically placed along some of the busiest and most hazardous streets and intersections in Portland. Locations include 82nd Avenue, SE Foster Road, SE Powell Boulevard, SE Stark Street, E Burnside Street, NE 122nd Avenue, NE Broadway, NE César E. Chávez Boulevard, NE Columbia Boulevard, NE Glisan Street, NE Halsey Street, NE Killingworth Street, NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, NE Sandy Boulevard, and SW Barbur Boulevard.
To provide drivers with an adjustment period, the bureaus initially send warning letters before issuing citations. Speeding citations range from $170 to $440, while red-light running citations result in a $265 fine. New signage ahead of all speed safety cameras alerts drivers to their presence. Popular travel apps also warn users about these cameras.
Speeding is a top contributing factor to deadly crashes in the Portland region, increasing the likelihood and severity of accidents. Speed safety cameras have been effective in reducing excessive speeding, with a 94% decrease in top-end speeding (11 mph or more over the speed limit) observed between 2016 and 2020 on corridors with camera enforcement.
For over two decades, Portland Police have employed cameras in police vans, operated by officers, for speed enforcement. In 2015, PBOT led legislative efforts to permit the use of permanently mounted cameras on posts for 24/7 speed enforcement, further enhancing traffic safety.
