Share this Story: Provincial government announces changes to photo radar, Wetaskiwin already onside
Provincial government announces changes to photo radar, Wetaskiwin already onside
Mar 08, 2019 • March 8, 2019 • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Changes to provincial guidelines on the use of photo radar won't show a significant impact in Wetaskiwin.
Last week, an independent third-party review of photo radar operations in Alberta showed photo radar has a marginal contribution to traffic safety across the province and that changes to the provincial guidelines governing the use of the devices will enhance transparency, increase oversight and enshrine the principle that photo radar can be used only to improve road safety.
Provincial government announces changes to photo radar, Wetaskiwin already onside Back to video
"Our goal is to eliminate photo radar as a tool for revenue generation. Photo radar operations must contribute to significant traffic safety outcomes, like reducing collisions and saving lives. We are updating the provincial photo radar guidelines to provide the direction and clarity that municipalities and police agencies need in order to focus on safety," said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation.
Although the City of Wetaskiwin is currently looking for a new third-party photo radar provider, at a town hall meeting in Wetaskiwin last week, Wetaskwin RCMP Insp. Keith Durance said, "We were doing everything that program is asking us to do already."
At the Feb. 25 Wetaskiwin City council regular meeting, Acting City manager Sue Howard said, "We are not that cash cow community they were speaking of. We have very few changes we need to make."
The independent review showed photo radar guidelines need to produce better data to demonstrate how photo radar contributes to traffic safety. The guideline changes will:
Improve accountability by clarifying roles and responsibilities for photo radar programs.
Require municipal Traffic Safety Plans to use collision data to ensure photo radar programs are directly tied to safety. The plans will be audited by the provincial government to ensure compliance.
Require police services and/or municipalities to post and update photo radar locations and their rationale on municipal/police websites every month (links will be provided on Alberta.ca/photoradar).
Prohibit the use of photo radar in transition zones (i.e. adjacent to speed limit signs where speed limits change).
Prohibit the use of photo radar on high-speed multi-lane roadways, unless there is a documented traffic safety issue.
Require annual reporting and evaluation of how photo radar programs are achieving traffic safety outcomes.
Conventional traffic enforcement, such as police patrolling or scanning traffic with radar, is still allowed in locations where automated enforcement is prohibited. Radar is also still allowed in school zones, playground zones and construction zones.
The City is seeking a contractor to ensure the chosen model fit with the City's current organizational structure. The focus for the provider will be on intersection cameras to catch speeders and those going through red lights in high risk enforcement locations where the safety of citizens or law enforcement officers would be at risk through conventional means, where there is an ongoing problem, in high-collision areas involving property damage and injury or fatal accidents and high-pedestrian volume locations.
At the Feb. 25 City of Wetaskiwin regular council meeting council passed an amended Traffic Safety and Automated Enforcement Reserve policy.
At the Dec. 17, 2018 council meeting, council approved the policy with amendments so that 100 per cent of the net proceeds would be transferred to the reserve. Administration brought it back to council for clarification on if council wanted a cap put on the reserve.
Howard said administration was suggesting $500,000 as an arbitrary number. Council, however, opted to remove a cap, saying they didn't want to see any of the money coming in from traffic enforcement cameras going into the City's general reserve fund.
"There's always going to be (traffic safety) projects we could use that money for," said Coun. Patricia MacQuarrie.
"I don't think we need a cap, given the project we need to do in the next few years," agreed Mayor Tyler Gandam.
Revenue collected from fines within the City of Wetaskiwin is specifically allocated for traffic safety initiatives such as safer pedestrian crossings, intersection safety incentives, improved signage throughout the City, and other safety initiatives as identified by Administration or the residents of Wetaskiwin.
Over the next year, government will work with municipalities to implement guideline changes, allowing enough time for municipalities to adapt. Government will work with municipalities to refine the guidelines for photo radar site selection, operational restrictions and data collection that will allow for improved and ongoing program evaluation.