One of Albany’s traffic cameras at Queen and Geary, shown last December.
Two members of the Albany City Council seem to have second thoughts about the new speed and red-light cameras the city intends to have installed.
Council members Steph Newton and Matilda Novak, both representing Ward 1, raised their concerns at the council’s meeting Wednesday night.
Last December, the council voted to authorize the police department to contract with Verra Mobility, a worldwide traffic-control company, to augment the cameras at Queen and Geary and install photo-radar and red-light cameras at three additional intersections.
The contract, which Police Chief Marcia Harnden said today has been signed, apparently will cost the city $24,000 a month for five years, the length of the agreement.
Newton questioned whether the cameras will yield enough revenue to offset the expense, especially if drivers caught by the cameras take advantage of “diversion,” which can lower the $265 cost of a ticket.
Novak said that North Albany Road, where one set of cameras is planned, does not warrant photo radar. She questioned reports by the police of very high speeds having been recorded there. Most days there is steady traffic on North Albany Road, making speeds much faster than the posted 40 mph unlikely or impossible.
Novak said speed cameras should be deployed where speeding is common.
The three intersections where the police want to set up new red-light and speed cameras are North Albany and Thornton Lake, Queen and Elm, and Santiam Road and Geary.
Most of Albany traffic, including high speed traffic, is on state highways. But the city can’t post cameras there without ODOT permission, which city officials have said is too hard to get.
Novak referred to Chief Harnden telling the council twice that someone had been clocked at 134 mph coming down from Gibson Hill on North Albany Road. Novak evidently didn’t read the April 28 story here reporting that Harnden corrected herself. A police department speed trailer recorded a black Mazda at 124 mph, not 134, at 1:51 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Two councilors expressing misgivings about the camera project makes no difference. It takes four votes on the council to decide anything, and the contract has been signed.
Harnden has said the first priority will be putting cameras on North Albany and additional cameras at Queen and Geary.
Once that is done, ticket activity and city revenue will tell us something about how serious and widespread the speeding problem at those locations actually is. (hh)
Could they start by removing the leaves close to the 20mph sign so it’s clearly visible, that would cost $50 not to speak of actually providing safety to the kids going or coming from the school, thanks?
Need done to a lot of stop signs to
Revenue will be nowhere close to what they plan and it will just be another drain on city funds. Maybe they could focus on the cops being on patrol instead of making Tic Tok videos?
Come on, they do those on their lunch breaks. And besides, isn’t it a great idea for our APD Officers to be able to have a little fun?!? I for one really admire them for doing the videos!
With all that revenue, the Police Dept. will be able to operate on less revenue, so we should see a reduction of property taxes from a moral city.
What in the hell happened to the money for the officer that was supposed to monitor the multi use paths/parks? WHERE did it go?
At a council meeting a month ago, I asked that the ticket income and associated expenses be put into a newly created fund so that the financial impact of these cameras is clearly known. I also asked them to devote any income after expenses be used for road maintenance.
So far, my suggestion has not been acted on.
Just trying for income to replace what they’ll be losing when CARA runs out.
Don’t be fooled, public safety is just their justification for another new cash grab.
CARA just moves from one taxing district to another, same dollar. There’s a certain amount of increase in taxable property value but CARA has spent more on other types of projects that in theory, indirectly increase property values, the original concept was kind of changed over the years. The question is, if we didn’t spend to gentrify downtown would we be paying more in law enforcement for a blighted area?
Everything has costs, there’s no doubt with the money coming into Albany and leaving these larger municipalities (and states), it’s not an an inexpensive community to live in any longer. We’re more like a smaller version of California about 25 years ago, before California became almost unlivable for most with taxes and regulations, except for the ultra wealthy. Albany is becoming a highly regulated municipality with a corresponding public services liability that requires specialized skill sets to navigate, I believe there’s no less than five outside consulting firms just to advise on the water system, based on the last presentation. And yes we’re going to be in the $160 to $170 range for “water/sewer” bills that are suppose to be for supplying water/sewer usage, but now we have 6 line items included. It’s morphing into the same situation as the property tax bills, 13 line items of charges on what started out as two. Albany and lower income just doesn’t exist any longer, you need access to a lot resources to live in Albany, OR. and with that comes the corresponding increase in stress that goes along with trying to cover increasingly more costly basic living expenses.
Just QUIT complying with UNFUNDED MANDATES from the STATE! If they want us to play, make them pay!
The revenue needs to be monitored and reported. The amount of traffic on North Albany Road prevents speeding. If a Masada was clocked at 124mph, I simple don’t believe it.
I also don’t believe that over 4000 cars enter North Albany subdivision daily.
The speed camera will not pay for itself and the city council needs to be held responsible.
I know APD is stretched in coverage of our growing community, but… I’m seriously disappointed when our neighbors are reporting “popped doors” stolen mail, and creepers peeking through windows and our protectors are saying “They really can’t do much” WTH?
Someone pushing open your door is at minimum B&E… there’s video of it happening and it’s not enough to arrest?
Don’t know about 124mph, but would believe 40 to 60. Get to town several times a week and those speeds going down the hill to school zone happen frequently. Many people go through the school zone at 30 to 35. So I think it’s a great idea.
its amazing who we vote for. . simply amazing. the residents of albany are being held accountable for there actions.
I agree, the school zone signage on North Albany road is nearly invisible. Not just the overgrowth of vegetation, but most school zone signs have flashing lights on them. Also the paint on the road is very faded. They should correct these issues first.
thank you to Novak and Newton–you are representing me since I live in North Albany. This proposed over-reach by Harnden should be overturned. The oft used example of
>100mph on NA Rd does not justify anything–it is an outlier. Reminds me of shoe removal at airports because ONE deranged Arab tried to light his shoes on fire in an airplane–still required after 20yrs. Hoping two other Councilors will join my reps to stop the insanity of over regulation.
I am one of those North Albany peeps. I drive N Albany road a lot. The only thing I can figure is the camera will be put at N Albany road and Thornton Lakes Road intersection to catch speeders not slowing down thru the school zone. It might catch a few and make some money. Other than that, I really doubt there are many people going thru that section of road above the speed limit of 40 MPH when school is not in session. As far as the person clocked doing 124 MPH on N Albany road, I don’t know how a person could get going that fast on that section of road and not have a wreak. Thanks Matilda and Steph for having second thoughts on the cameras.
I think they just need to rotate these speed cameras around all school zones. I know there’s cost but if they are worried about it paying for itself this would be the way. I can tell you that there would be alot of tickets because no one follows the 20mph. All they would need to to is post that speed may be monitored by speed cameras below the school zone sign then they would be covered. I have seen people speed in school zones and almost witnessed children getting hit. I would love to either see speed trailer on 34th Ave. Switching places between the 3 schools off of 34th Ave. Or information on how to get the trailer to be placed in these areas On 34th Ave
I looked back to your original story and they said they would issue 15,000 to 17,000 tickets per year from the cameras. I think that is a massive over statement as I don’t believe there are that many cars on the road per day and that correlates 41+ tickets per day to get to those numbers. The car I own gives me a warning when approaching a red light camera which obviously doesn’t figure into their calculations or they assume all drivers are stupid whereas I believe most government employees fit that category. A banker told me figures don’t lie but liars figure.