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Phoenix mayor to hold work study session on red light cameras at intersections

Posted at 9:12 AM, Jan 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-28 21:07:20-05

Will the flash of the red light cameras in Phoenix be activated again?

On Tuesday, Mayor Kate Gallego called a Work Study Session to discuss "a proposed methodology to evaluate, identify, and select locations for red light cameras, and the current procurement of a new contract."

According to city officials, there are 1,150 signalized intersections in Phoenix. Each year, these intersections saw an average of 1,520 red light running crashes. Those crashes took the lives of nearly 90 people per year on average.

The Phoenix City Council voted 5 - 4 back in November to allow the contract with Redflex, who owns and operates red light cameras at 12 intersections, to expire. The measure would have also added $800,000 to the more-than-$4 million current contract. It would have also extended the program until the end of this year.

The opposition came from council members who claimed it was a money grab. Some said, they didn't have enough information to vote properly.

Here were the locations of the 12 photo radar cameras:

  • 35th Avenue & Cactus Road
  • 35th Avenue & Glendale Avenue
  • 16th Street & Jefferson Street
  • Tatum Boulevard & Thunderbird Road
  • 67th Avenue & McDowell Road
  • Central Avenue & McDowell Road
  • 53rd Avenue & Indian School Road
  • 50th Street & Ray Road
  • 7th Street & Bell Road
  • 12th Street & Camelback Road
  • 35th Avenue & McDowell Road
  • 24th Street & Thomas Road

So, Tuesday's session is meant to start a new conversation among council members using data.

The Street Transportation Department is proposing that the city looks at the last three years of traffic crash statistics, specifically linked to red light running.

The department also asked the council to "factor in crashes with serious and fatal injuries due to red light running violations and crashes involving pedestrians at the signalized intersections were the driver was found to be at fault."

City officials compiled those three years of data, but they are looking to utilize a "composite scoring methodology," that would include values for each factor. From those factors, an intersection would be given a score. The score would help determine if it could be a good location for a red light camera.

Here are the results of the 600 intersections that scored the highest with that point system:

City officials are proposing a five-year contract and 24 fixed cameras, along with 16 photo radar vans for school zones. That would double the amount Phoenix once had.

The following list depicts where each camera could be implemented, when considering the statistical rankings:

1) 27th Avenue/Adams Street
2) 21st Avenue/Glendale Avenue
3) 43rd Avenue/Encanto Boulevard
4) 1st Avenue/Lincoln Street
5) 27th Avenue/Indian School Road
6) 43rd Avenue/Thomas Road
6) 7th Street/Mohave Street
8) 59th Avenue/Osborn Road
8) 7th Street/Broadway Road
10) 39th Avenue/Bell Road
10) 43rd Avenue/Bethany Home Road
10) 43rd Avenue/Peoria Avenue
10) 5th Avenue/McDowell Road
14) 19th Avenue/Grant Street
14) 27th Avenue/Camelback Road
14) 28th Drive/Cactus Road
14) 71st Avenue/Thomas Road
18) 43rd Avenue/Grand Avenue
18) 43rd Avenue/Maryland Avenue
18) 51st Avenue/Van Buren Street
18) 7th Avenue/Indian School Road
22) 22nd Avenue/Missouri Avenue
22) 44th Street/Washington Street
24) 19th Avenue/Adams Street
24) 19th Avenue/Indian School Road
24) 19th Avenue/Northern Avenue
24) 19th Avenue/Thomas Road
24) 35th Avenue/Roosevelt Street
24) 35th Avenue/Union Hills Drive
24) 3rd Avenue/McDowell Road
24) 43rd Avenue/Van Buren Street

Since this is a Work Study Session and not a formal city council meeting, no action will be taken on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. No public comment will be heard either.

Operation Safe Roads will be monitoring this meeting and will bring you any developments.

Have a road issue or question for Operation Safe Roads? You can call 833-AZROADS or email roads@abc15.com.