Photo enforcement is coming this fall to Tigard at three intersections along Pacific Highway (99W) to make those crossings safer for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists:
- SW 72nd Avenue
- SW Hall Boulevard
- Durham Road
This technology produces high-resolution videos and images capturing vehicles entering an intersection during a red light.
Running red-lights has been identified as the leading cause of urban crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. During a ten-year period of using photo enforcement equipment in their city, Beaverton reported a 36% reduction in red light violations and a 41% reduction in injury crashes. The program in Tigard is expected to yield similar results.
The City considered traffic volume, crash data, violations, and citizen input to select three intersections for the program. “Given the volume of traffic we have and the complexity of those intersections, photo enforcement is an ideal way for us to gain compliance and reduce the number of crashes and vehicle incidents,” say Tigard Police Lieutenant Eskew.
Before installation can begin, the City of Tigard must obtain a permit for each intersection from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) that manages Pacific Highway. At this point, ODOT is reviewing the construction and signage plans for each location.
After a permit is granted for an intersection, Conduent, the City’s contractor for photo enforcement, will install equipment. When the system is up and running, a thirty-day warning period will follow at each intersection. Registered owners of vehicles photographed running red lights will receive warning letters in the mail, alerting them that future violations will result in traffic citations.
When the system flags a potential violation, a police officer will review video footage and photos to verify that a violation actually occurred. The mailed citation will include a link to photo and video footage, so the driver can also review the incident. A computer terminal will be available in the City Hall lobby near Municipal Court, so that drivers have another option for viewing the footage.
Before the go-live date, a hotline will be established to answer general questions about traffic citations related to photo enforcement and will connect individuals with the correct city representative for follow up.
The photo enforcement system will initially capture red light violations and will eventually progress to speeding violations down the road. Photo enforcement aims to improve driver behavior and make your driving experience a safer one. “It’s not designed to get you in trouble. It’s designed to gain compliance so that we have safer roadways,” says Lt. Eskew.
For more information on photo enforcement, please visit: www.tigard-or.gov/police/photo_traffic_enforcement.php.
