PORTLAND, Ore. — More fixed speed cameras are coming to Portland before the end of this year.
City council approved spending about $450,000 on speed cameras and other safety upgrades along Portland's high-crash corridors, as defined by the Portland Bureau Of Transportation (PBOT).
"These safety cameras we've deployed on four corridors in Portland have shown the ability to dramatically decrease dangerous driving in a matter of weeks or months," said PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera.
Portland currently has four sets of fixed speed cameras mounted on utility poles along four high-crash corridors. You can see the current locations here:
PBOT has conducted speed studies before, immediately after, and after 1-2 years near installation sites and they've all shown substantial decrease in speeding, and top-end speeding, defined as 11 mph or more over the speed limit.
They cite the success of the program and the high injury and fatality rate on Portland's roads this year as reason to move forward. The city also cites independent surveys showing public support for speed enforcement.
Proposed corridors for new cameras include Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Northeast Columbia Boulevard and outer Southeast Stark Street. Other improvements aimed to reduce speeds and increase pedestrian visibility will occur throughout Portland's High Crash Corridor Network this year.
Last year, the city issued more than 38,000 citations from fixed speed safety cameras, although about 45% of them were dismissed. The state keeps 70% of fine revenue for their criminal fine account. The remainder goes to the city for operating and maintaining the cameras. A sworn police officer must review every citation before it is mailed.