Automated Speed / Red Light Enforcement FAQ

To reduce traffic speeds to within posted speed limits. The goal is to reduce the chances of dangerous collisions.

The City is not paying for installation but will pay the contractor a monthly service fee for the cameras over a five-year contract.  

The cost of operating the system will be deducted from revenue, including the camera service fee, mandatory payments to the State and County, and City costs for reviewing citations and court processing. Any remaining revenue will go into the City's General Fund, which can fund traffic safety improvements.

The cameras have a threshold for activation, but the goal is to reduce the chances of dangerous collisions by ensuring drivers follow posted speed limits.

Where permitted, drivers can turn right at a red traffic light, whether a solid red light or a red arrow. However, they must first:

• Come to a complete stop
• Check for bicycles, pedestrians, and oncoming and u-turning cars before proceeding, making sure it is safe to turn
• Yield the right of way to traffic lawfully within the intersection

A citation can be issued to drivers who do not come to a complete stop first before they take a right turn at a red traffic light.

Yes, the City will work with the contractor to coordinate the cameras with weekends, no school days, and the daily schedules of Greater Albany Public Schools.

The system is checked several times a day, and calibration is verified.

Videos are based on set criteria, and a sworn officer reviews each potential violation before a citation is issued.

Unfortunately, there is no method for us to look up each potential violation. There are a few reasons why a camera may have flashed:

• You may have committed a violation.
• A vehicle near you in the intersection may have committed a violation.
• The camera(s) may have been adjusting or recalibrating, and no violation was committed.

A sworn officer reviews each potential violation before a citation is issued. If your action was deemed a violation, you should receive a citation package in the mail within about two weeks.

Yes, instructions on how to view the video of your violation online are included with your citation.

If you are issued a citation for a violation in which you were not the driver, you can submit a form declaring that you were not the driver, along with a copy of your driver's license.

The officer will attempt to identify the driver through other means.

License plate shields are illegal in Oregon.

Education is a priority, so there will be a warning period for the first 30 days from the "go live" date at each intersection. During this period, drivers who violate the speed limit will not receive citations from the cameras.

The current law requires cameras to be utilized only at a signalized intersection, and some school zones aren't equipped for them.

Eight cameras will be at four intersections by the end of 2025. Each intersection will have two cameras, one to cover each approach.

No, the cameras will remain operational as the intent is to slow traffic to enhance safety. A reduction in the number of collisions is only one measure of improved safety.

These statistics are reported regularly on our website.