One of the traffic camera setups at Queen and Geary on Feb. 2, 2025.
The first numbers have become available from Albany’s expanded venture of catching speed and red-light violations with cameras. Whether the report signals a trend, only time and more numbers will tell.
New speed and red-light cameras, operated for the city by Verra Mobility, started operating last November on two approaches at Queen Avenue and Geary Street, where only red-light cameras had been in use since 2007.
On Tuesday I asked Jeanna Yeager, City of Albany finance director, whether it was possible to track the revenue and expenses of the operation since the new cameras went live.
Yeager said that from the administrator of the Albany Municipal Court she got this:
“February was the first month the new photo notice citation system operated correctly, and the first month we received payments. No payments have been made to Verra Mobility for the new camera systems yet, and an invoice for February is expected but has not been received.
“A total of 21 citations from the new camera system were paid in full, generating $4,375. After deducting state, county, and Verra Mobility fees, the city’s net revenue is $2,569.”
I didn’t ask for a breakdown of tickets for speeding and or running a red light. But the citation total works out to an average fine of about $208 per ticket, of which the city ended up getting about $122.
Albany’s contract with Verra Mobility calls for a base payment by the city of $3,000 a month for each camera system, plus $20 for each paid ticket. In February, it looks like the city failed to make expenses.
A new camera system now is monitoring traffic on North Albany Road at West Thornton Lake Drive, but the police are not yet issuing citations there.
The times I’ve gone through the intersection when the school zone speed limit of 20 mph was in effect, traffic was creeping at about that speed or a little above.
Speed citations, when they start, can’t by law be issued for anything less than 10 mph above the posted limit, the police chief told me.
So even though the camera strobes were going off rapid-fire one time I drove through, I don’t expect those cameras to yield any great number of tickets. (hh)
The City loses money on each transaction, but they make it up in volume.
Well, you’ve asked the obvious question about money. To some, these cameras are a high-tech pick-pocket scheme imposed by a cash-addicted city.
But isn’t the primary purpose “safety”? How is the city measuring if “safety” has improved?
p.s. Side-note: when CARA imposed TIF I asked the city to show exactly how much tax increment was attributable to the CARA “investment.”
Nobody at city hall knew what I was talking about and couldn’t produce a number. Hopefully the city can show how this “investment” in traffic enforcement produces a safety improvement. I have my doubts…
Actually you bring up a valid point, the “city” is opposing HB 2189, which would issue a first time warning. I’m not sure who the “city” is in this instance, the city councilors that I have listened to during various CC meetings seem to support HB 2189 especially Councilor Newton-Azorr who has brought up the subject multiple times. It’s one thing for staff to act as experts of opinion on matters that have specific skill sets in, areas they are trained but I’m not sure an unelected/unnamed city staff member/s should be speaking for the city on legislation like this, this is not a technical issue. Seems city council should have a say.
I think the camera is a positive if used correctly, no one wants someone doing a 100 miles an hour through our neighborhoods, but the devastation to insurance rates is going to be astronomical for those unfortunate enough to not guess correctly when the speed limit is 40 and when it’s 20. Our insurance rates are already going up 20% even when you haven’t done anything.
https://view.monday.com/7668045555-2def722a864022e152b3cd4f05eebe8f?r=use1
So, if it’s a safety issue, tell me how many incidents there have been on North Albany Rd to justify what is basically a tax being paid to an out of state vendor? Especially to justify losing money (our money). DOGE, save us!
I’ve noticed the N. Albany camera has gone off three times just in a couple days it’s been active. I’m going through in line with others in front of me, you can see the flash from a distance, the first car in line seems to trigger it, no idea what it is flashing. Seems to me many of those tickets are going to invalid when the camera is triggered during school hours because there’s no way of telling if school is in session or not. You’re asking for perfect behavior with an imperfect set of warnings, rules, and enforcement. Example, there’s no flashing lights on a school sign like you see in most other communities alerting you that school speeds are applicable. You can try and look in the parking lot to see if there’s cars present, get an idea if school is in session, or read the marque sign quickly and figure out if the dates listed are applicable for today’s date. Even more difficult is one side of the marque is English the other side is Spanish, I can barely figure out the English side in the couple seconds that you have before entering the zone. It takes me at least double the time to comprehend the Spanish side since it’s not my first language. If I was on a jury, I would say that’s not reasonable conditions that would warrant a violation, especially since school schedules are so unpredictable. I think the best idea is just avoid the intersection, when possible. For most, one basically must go through that light in order to enter N. Albany, I guess that’s one way to cut down traffic, going to scare a lot of people when that light is flashing on and off and you have no idea who is being flashed.
Observation, you must act in a perfect way all the time to the conditions of the program even if the program is flawed, with any “mistake” the light triggers. Probability tells us, you are going to make a “mistake” if you go through that light enough times. It acts perfect with its programming every time even though the model being programmed has human flaws, you have to guess the conditions and then the benefit of the doubt goes to the computer and the programmer.
I don’t see any cost for the time spent by a sworn officer scanning the photos.
I don’t understand the math-
$3000+21*$20 = $3420. goes to the company.
$4375-$3420 =$955 left over for the City.
Me too, I’m scratching my head.
Must be the Mayor’s math.
Pled NOT GUILTY to all tickets. You have a constitutional right to a trial! If no one shows up case dismissed!
“Speed citations, when they start, can’t by law be issued for anything less than 10 mph above the posted limit, the police chief told me.” And ya wonder why people fly by? So much for intended safety and driving behavior modification.
This another case of fancy consultants selling automation idea to government without thinking of total cost or impact to citizens. Same thing happen to schools – consultants sell technology ideas to board of education and they like new things so buy them with taxpayer dollars. Do student test score improve? Does these things make life better or easier for taxpayers and residents? Jury out. Except, we know who pay for all these fancy things – US!
I remember years ago when Monitor School District had many Russian speaking children come into their district. The school district bought an expensive Russian typewriter. The children brought the schools note back & ask what it said. None of the parents could read Russian. Later the typewriter was stolen in a break in & they didn’t replace it.