“Speed has been identified as a factor in a lot of the crashes along Pacific Highway,” says Lieutenant Neil Charlton of the Tigard Police Department. “Enforcement on this roadway is difficult, especially when traffic flow is heavy. There are not a lot of safe places to pull someone over on Pacific Highway who is driving dangerously.”
That is true for both the driver and officer. Lieutenant Charlton recalls an incident a couple of years ago where a car struck the motorcycle of a Tigard Traffic Safety Officer who was conducting a traffic stop along Pacific Highway. Fortunately, the officer was not hurt.
To make the roadway safer for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, the City of Tigard installed photo enforcement equipment at three intersections along SW Pacific Highway earlier this year. The intention was to encourage safer driving behavior, reducing red-light running, speeding violations and ultimately the number of crashes.
Beginning July 1, 2020, the photo enforcement system will begin capturing speed violations at two locations along SW Pacific Highway:
- SW Pacific Highway and 72nd Avenue
- SW Pacific Highway and Hall Boulevard
These are two of three intersections where photo enforcement currently monitors for red-light violations. “It was part of the plan to conduct a staggered roll out—red light enforcement first and intersection speed at a later date. We wanted to give drivers time to adjust to changes.”
Whether a traffic safety officer or photo enforcement equipment identifies a speeding violation, presumptive fines range from $115 to $440 as set by the Oregon Revised Statute 153.019:
Class A: $440 – 31mph + over speed limit
Class B: $265 – 21-30 mph over speed limit
Class C: $165 – 11-20 mph over speed limit
Class D: $115 – 1-10 mph over speed limit
Please remember to watch your speed. The faster you drive, the farther the distance before you are able to fully brake. On a dry road, it will take a driver about 119 feet to react to a safety threat at 30mph, 164 feet at 40mph, and 265 feet at 55mph. Photo traffic enforcement was installed to encourage drivers to make safer choices and drive the speed limit.
