The City of Albuquerque on Tuesday announced it will be doubling the amount of speed cameras in the city this winter. The announcement came at a press conference detailing data from the first two years using 20 speed cameras around the city.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller described the attempt to install the cameras in 2022 as both unpopular and a major risk.
But that risk seems to have paid off as he said there have been decreases ranging from 42% to 89% in drivers going 10 miles per hour or more over the limit at the camera locations.
Keller cited data from the Highway Safety Manual that reducing speed by just a single mile per hour can bring a 17% reduction in fatal crashes. He also said cameras are helpful for law enforcement.
“We certainly don't have enough officers to get in every street corner, and our officers very much appreciate not having to do this work,” he said. “But also, it's very thorough, it's very fast, it's automatic, and has resulted in 223,000 tickets.”
At $100 each, that means a lot of revenue for the city. Although they do offer options for those who have trouble paying their tickets, which has resulted in 11,000 hours of community service performed.
The money has gone to construction projects to improve pedestrian safety as part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative, which is headed by Valerie Hermanson.
She said the initiative is aimed at reducing pedestrian fatalities to zero, and the speed cameras are an important part of that.
“We're not out to get you. We're not trying to catch unassuming drivers and issue them violations,” she said. “Really, the goal is to improve safety.”
The city hasn’t yet announced where to expect the new cameras, but they are aiming to have them in before the winter’s over.
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