We know that in Oregon (and elsewhere) BIPOC communities face injury and death at much higher rates. It’s a choice to drive safely, it’s not a choice to be hit by someone else. What I do think is a massive disproportionate burden is the much higher rates of death and injury for BIPOC folks who are pushed out into these areas. I also don’t think that just because you are forced into car dependent areas you must drive unsafely and thus receive tickets, so I’m don’t necessarily see that it’s a disproportionate burden on BIPOC communities in that respect. I’m all for sliding scale fines for low income folks to help mitigate some of this impact to the extent that it’s real. In regards to BIPOC folks being pushed to more car dependent areas, therefore being more car dependent, therefore being more likely to receive citations: I just don’t buy that as a reason to not implement speed cameras. It will be very interesting to watch how and and if cities across Oregon approach the use of speed cameras. If cities implement proper oversight and implementation, traffic cameras can be a boon for behavior change and safety on our roads. “We need to make sure that you’re tracking just how it’s being used, who’s being charged, and how much money is being generated,” he said, citing irresponsible use of the cameras by some Oregon cities in the past. Lew Frederick (D-Portland) voted in support of the bill, but these concerns. Joint Committee on Transportation member House Rep. Taylor Steenblock with Mutnomah County said they worry the location of cameras can “be a little bit of a regressive effect.” “Our BIPOC and lower-income communities have been pushed further out into the margins and because they often rely on roads that haven’t had safety improvements and more often rely on, they can be subject to impacts from traffic cameras.” Several concerns were raised about this expansion in camera use. “Think of what we could do if we could use this tool at more locations,” he shared with legislators in February. “Think of the lives we could save.” Salem Mayor Chris Hoy said after they installed cameras at three intersections and saw a 51% decrease in red light running and an 87% reduction in traffic crashes (even taking into account increased traffic volume). Their Legislative Director Jim McCauley said, “All 241 cities should have access to mobile and fixed radar. One of the chief proponents of HB 2095 was the League of Oregon Cities. The two-step process not only adds time and cost to cities looking to improve our own traffic safety but it makes no sense to community members looking for safer streets.” “Which tells me that education and awareness is high among our residents, and visitors need to slow the heck down in our neighborhoods.” When it comes to the law that required city transportation engineers to only notch speeds down by five miles per hour at a time, Beaty said, “Cities that want to adjust 10 miles an hour reduction from say 35 to 25 must go through the entire process twice. One stat that jumped out of her testimony was that 75% of the citations were given to drivers who lived outside of Beaverton. Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty told lawmakers at the Joint Committee on Transportation that cameras have been very helpful in reducing speeds. HB 2095 builds on years of lobbying by City of Portland officials to expand the use of cameras and to give cities more flexibility in how speed limits are set.Īt a February legislative hearing, the bill received support from many city leaders. The bill also gives jurisdictions the authority to set designated speeds on certain types of residential streets at up to 10 miles below the statutory speed (provided it’s not less than 20 mph), instead of doing so in increments of five miles per hour at at time (as current law allows). Beyond just the use of cameras use, the bill also eliminates the limitation on the number of hours per day photo radar can be used at any one location. House Bill 2095 gives that power to all cities in the state. Traffic cameras can expand statewide in Oregon thanks to a bill signed Monday by Governor Tina Kotek.Ĭurrently just ten cities are permitted to use cameras to enforce speed limits - Albany, Beaverton, Bend, Eugene, Gladstone, Medford, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Portland, and Tigard.
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