Between 2016 and 2018, Portland rolled out eight fixed speed cameras on its most dangerous streets. These cameras, resembling a flock of WALL-E robots mounted on poles, spot speeding vehicles, capture photos of drivers, and issue tickets.
Biannual reports to the Oregon Legislature highlight the effectiveness of these cameras as a powerful means to reduce vehicle speeds, which is directly linked to a drop in traffic accidents and fatalities.
The camera installations coincided with the launch of Vision Zero, a citywide initiative aimed at eliminating traffic deaths by 2025. However, despite the considerable efforts and an investment of $330 million on safety improvements along high-crash streets since 2017, the campaign has not met its goals. In fact, Portland, like many other cities, recorded more traffic fatalities every year since the program began nine years ago.
Despite the documented success of the fixed speed cameras, the city has only installed seven additional cameras in the years following their initial rollout. A recent resolution passed by a committee of the Portland City Council reaffirmed the city’s commitment to Vision Zero but did not address the slow expansion of the effective traffic camera program.
The city plans to add nine more cameras over the next year and aims to increase the total number to 60 by 2028. Currently, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) operates 31 automated cameras, which consist of fixed speed cameras, dual red-light and speed cameras, and two mobile van cameras. The proposal for 60 includes all types of automated enforcement.
However, following a searing audit of the Vision Zero program, which criticized the city for failing to track the success of its various safety projects, many are left wondering why a program with proven results has not been expanded more aggressively.
City Councilor Steve Novick asserted that the addition of more fixed speed cameras is a straightforward decision.
“New York City has 3,000 of these things. Based on road miles, I think we should have 1,000,” Novick remarked. He criticized the plan to go from 30 to 60 cameras in three years as being “glacial in pace.”
The November audit by City Auditor Simone Rede criticized the Portland Bureau of Transportation for its lack of regular evaluation of safety projects meant to reduce traffic accidents.
The audit pointed out, “Without systemic evaluation of safety outcomes, the bureau is missing the opportunity to create more alignment between the work they do on safety projects and the overall goal of Vision Zero.” It underscored the necessity for a systematic approach to identify and analyze the trends regarding completed projects regarding traffic safety.
While the audit noted some positive developments, such as left-turn traffic calming installations, lower speed limits in residential areas, and traffic signal adjustments to enhance pedestrian safety, it stressed overall shortcomings in accountability and strategic evaluation of safety outcomes.
Among Portland’s strategies to mitigate speeding is the implementation of fixed speed cameras, which have shown undeniable success. Of the 15 cameras installed on the city’s most dangerous streets, half of them are located in Northeast Portland, with others monitoring busy east-west thoroughfares.
The city first installed eight cameras from 2016 to 2018 after receiving legislative approval but faced delays when attempting to install four more cameras in 2021 due to procurement issues. As of 2024, seven additional cameras have recently been installed as part of the city’s efforts to improve traffic safety.
PBOT identifies speed as the leading contributor to traffic-related deaths, reporting that a staggering 42% of traffic fatalities from 2017 to 2021 were related to speeding. Close to 59% of deadly incidents occur on the 8% of streets with speed limits of 35 mph or higher.
Data from PBOT reveals that the impact of speed safety cameras is significant: speeding has notably decreased at all camera locations, with a 59% reduction in speeds on high-crash corridors fitted with cameras. The rate of vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the speed limit fell by 88%, as reflected in a 2024 study.
Between the periods from 2012-2015 and 2019-2022, however, fatal and serious injuries related to crashes surged by 41% citywide. The camera corridors only saw an increase of 9%, indicating the cameras’ effectiveness compared to broader trends.
The November audit recommended the expedited installation of fixed speed cameras to enhance street safety further, highlighting the missed timelines for many planned installations.
PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera noted that procurement delays and reliance on police officers to review citations have slowed progress. Officers working overtime are responsible for reviewing citations, which limits the potential for greater camera deployment. Additionally, the Multnomah County Circuit Court’s capacity to adjudicate citations is another bottleneck.
Another concern regarding the deployment of speed cameras is its impact on low-income drivers. Sarah Iannarone, director of the Street Trust and a vocal transportation advocate, recognizes the potential unfair burden on lower-income communities disproportionately affected by traffic enforcement measures.
“The high-crash corridors also have higher concentrations of people living on low incomes,” Iannarone stated. “By concentrating the cameras there, while you may be reducing speeds, you might be having a negative impact on low-income households.”
On a positive note, Iannarone suggested that cameras might mitigate issues of racial profiling and biased policing interactions.
In response to calls for reform, a 2022 bill was passed to allow nonsworn employees to review camera citations, relieving some pressures on police resources. With plans to expand the program, PBOT aims to recruit three new staff members to review citations, which will help resolve existing bottlenecks in the citation process.
Iannarone emphasized the importance of making safety the primary focus of camera programs instead of generating revenue, fearing that it could incentivize governments to exploit the systems in inequitable ways.
According to the Vision Zero Network, the deployment of cameras should not overshadow the need for more sustainable and equitable solutions, calling for fundamental improvements in street design as a primary action for ensuring safety.
Iannarone proposed engaging communities directly to discuss the proven effectiveness of speed cameras and gather input on equitable enforcement methods. “One of the ways we could address it: Go to the community and say, it’s a proven solution. These unsafe streets are a threat to you. So we’ve seen that these cameras work. What would equitable enforcement look like to you?”
Resolutely, on May 19, the Portland City Council’s Transportation Committee passed a resolution led by Council Vice President Tiffany Koyama Lane, reaffirming the city’s commitment to the Vision Zero initiative.
The resolution included clauses directing modifications to street designs to decrease speeds and enhance safety for pedestrians.
Koyama Lane’s resolution also initiated the formation of a new Vision Zero Task Force to assess and report on the city’s progress towards eliminating traffic fatalities. Notably, discussions within the council did not include the role of traffic safety cameras pertaining to Vision Zero, even though Koyama Lane expressed support for their expansion: “In the first six months of our new City Council, there haven’t been many opportunities to work specifically…on projects such as fixed speed traffic cameras,” she stated. “I have noticed many more installations and fully support them as a cost-effective intervention that does indeed reduce crashes and the resulting injuries.”
image source from：wweek
