Oakland will install speed safety cameras at 18 locations across the city as part of a new program, the city’s Department of Transportation announced Monday.
The cameras, which are planned to be installed by mid-January, will detect when a vehicle exceeds the speed limit by more than 11 mph and will automatically capture images of its license plate number. City staff will then review the images before issuing fines of between $50 and $500, depending on the speed of the vehicle.
The locations for the cameras were chosen after reviewing the crash data from the city’s “High Injury Network.” This network of streets comprises 8% of city streets that account for 60% of the severe and fatal collisions that occur in the city.
City officials said that after the last camera is installed, there will be a 60-day period in which speed limit offenders will receive warnings but not citations. At the end of the 60 days, the city will begin issuing citations to all violators.
“Too many Oaklanders are being hurt or killed because of dangerous speeding,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a news release. “This program is a smart, life-saving step forward and brings us closer to streets where everyone can travel safely.”
The framework for the speed camera program was established in 2023 through Assembly Bill 645. The bill authorized a handful of California cities, including Oakland, San Jose, and San Francisco, to pilot a speed safety camera program until 2032.
Transportation technology company Verra Mobility will be administering this camera program. To ensure privacy and security, the cameras will only monitor speeding vehicles and will only capture images of license plates, according to city officials.
The city will engage in community education to raise awareness about the cameras, and more information is also available on Oakland’s website.
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