Salem will add speed cameras at 2 high-volume intersections. Here is where

Salem is expanding its speed camera program to include two high-volume intersections starting Monday.

Salem police officials said the changes are being made for safety reasons.

With 14 traffic deaths so far in 2024, Salem has already surpassed the number of deaths for all of 2023 and is on track for a record year.

“Our digital red light and speed enforcement programs are important tools for changing driver behavior and making our streets safer,” said Salem Police Deputy Chief Treven Upkes of the Field Operations Division. “Preventing collisions and other speeding consequences is essential to keeping Salem streets safe for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.”

Currently, four intersections have red lights and speed enforcement cameras:

• Silverton on Fisher Road NE

• Central Street at Hawthorne Avenue NE

• Commercial Street on Avenida Madrona SE

• Commercial street on Kuebler Boulevard SE

Technology to detect speeding violations has been implemented over time, starting at Silverton Road in 2019. Three more locations were added to the system in 2020.

Starting Monday, speed detection will be added to Mission at 25th Street SE and Commercial at Marion Street NE, two intersections shared with the Oregon Department of Transportation due to their designation as state highways.

Although the city has seen an overall increase in traffic volume since the enforcement program was implemented in 2008, data from current camera locations shows a steady decrease in accidents and citations issued.

Each location has four cameras connected to the traffic light, automatically detecting whether the vehicle stops at a red light or exceeds the posted speed limit.

Police staff check the record for any violations detected by the system before a citation is sent to the vehicle’s registered owner.

Between July 1st and 31st, the system will only issue alerts to drivers who violate the speed rule at these intersections. Oregon law states that citations will be issued to drivers whose speed is 11 mph over the speed limit while traveling through an intersection with a green light.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow X at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared in the Salem Statesman Journal: Speed ​​cameras added at 2 intersections in Salem, Oregon