Six photo enforcement cameras installed between Scottsdale Road and 90th St. on the Loop 101 freeway have been dormant for months now, but that's expected to change.
The cameras were originally put up for a nine-month trial period between January and October in an effort to slow down traffic. The program worked so well that some, including Gov. Janet Napolitano, think they should stay for good.
ASU professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Simon Washington has spent close to a year amassing information from the cameras. Earlier this month he released a preliminary analysis, revealing that average speeds had plummeted nearly 10 mph and accidents had severely diminished when compared to the same time period in previous years.
"Most of the public does not realize [the cameras are] a benefit," Washington said. "[Due to the cameras] people that typically drive 85 mph may have to drive 74 mph, and they see how that personally affects them ... they see it as a hindrance. What they don't see is the accident that is avoided."
The data from the cameras prompted Napolitano to write a letter applauding the city of Scottsdale on the program. The letter, sent to Mayor Mary Manross, requested that the city turn the cameras back on and even offered to extend the state permit through June 30.
"The Governor is showing strong leadership, just as the city did when we began the demonstration photo enforcement program on the Loop 101," Manross said. "I hope we can resume the Loop 101 program in a matter of weeks. I am pleased that the Governor wants to create a program to allow other communities to benefit from this technology."
The cameras' fate has been held limbo since the enforcement phase ended in late October.
A majority of the Scottsdale City Council is in favor of reinstituting the program and could vote on it as early as next week.
The camera system, the first of its kind in the country, was activated in January, but citations were not issued until Feb. 22. Since then, more than 90,000 drivers have been cited for speeding.
Reach the reporter at: william.hennigan@asu.edu.
